Thoratec Laboratories Corporation

Robert Joseph Harvey

John Robert Rueff

Philip Litwak

Keith Evan Buck

David John Farrar

David E Downie

J Donald Hill

John M Dubowik

William A Ribich

This invention provides a simple skeletal muscle linear pull energy convertor which can harness the maximal amount of muscle power for a wide variety of implantable medical devices, including the full range of circulatory support devices. The muscle powered system provides completely implantable circulatory support as an alternative to cardiac transplantation, with a quality of life relatively free from external batteries, transcutaneous energy transmission and other electromechanical hardware.

Step-down skeletal muscle energy conversion system

Step-down skeletal muscle energy conversion method

A closure band of water-vapor permeable, flexible, elastic plastic spans a cut in the flesh and holds the cut closed. Flesh-engaging penetrants such as hooks are partly embedded in or are part of the band and engage the flesh either side of the cut. Adhesive on the band also contacts the flesh and helps hold the penetrants embedded. A tear strip overlying openings through the band, when removed, allows inspection of the cut.

Wound closing device

A disposable aortic perforator has an elongated stem with an exterior stem surface circular-cylindrical about a longitudinal axis and extending between a far end and a near end. A coaxial disc having an exterior circumferential cylindrical disc surface of a first predetermined diameter is separated from the remainder of the stem by an intervening groove leaving an axial shank therebetween. The coaxial disc has a near surface on said disc normal to the axis and meeting the disc peripheral surface substantially at a right angle to form a blunt outside corner that is a non-cutting edge. An elongated tube is telescoped over the stem and is slidable a predetermined distance, about one-third of an inch, on the stem. The tube has an interior, circumferential cylindrical or tube surface of a second predetermined diameter about 0.0002 inches larger than the first predetermined diameter of the stem. An annular surface at the far end of the tube and normal to the axis meets the interior tube surface substantially at a right angle and forms a blunt inside corner that is a non-cutting edge. A cross bar normal to the axis engages the stem and preferably is disposed in a jacket slidable on or with respect to the tube. A spring is interposed between the stem and the tube for urging the tube axially away from the disc, the motion being limited by interengagement of slots in the tube with the cross bar.

Disposable aortic perforator

An implanted device for determining the patentcy of a transplanted vein directly connecting the aorta to transfer blood to a coronary artery has a physiologically inert bulb of flexible material disposed and retained in pressure transferring relationship to the distal region of the transplanted vein. A cuff or non-expansible sleeve surrounds the bulb and the vein and is held in position. The bulb has a single opening leading into one end of an implanted catheter. The other end of the catheter opens through a single opening in a thick-walled reservoir implanted in a subcutaneous location convenient for piercing by a hypodermic needle. At least a part of the reservoir wall is able to close upon withdrawal of the needle. The bulb, catheter and reservoir are completely filled, without distention, by an appropriate, usually isotonic, liquid. There may be a break-away connection in the catheter and various radio-opaque indicia for X-ray monitoring.

Growing community of inventors

Stanford, CA, United States of America

Robert Joseph Harvey