Importance

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Abstract

A ventricular assist device comprises a sheet of hydraulically actuated material that can be affixed to prescribed locations on the surface of the heart to assist areas of the heart that do not contract normally. The material is comprised of a network of contractible unit cells that individually contract when fluid is pumped into them. These unit cells are connected together in a network that causes the sheet to contract radially inward. This contraction causes the sheet to transmit forces to the heart to assist in its natural contraction. A sensing function coordinates the contraction of the sheet with the contraction of the heart. The change in shape of the device is accomplished by distributing pressurized fluid throughout the spaces of the device by way of a network of channels. When pressure is removed from the fluid system, it assumes a deenergized “rest” position in which it does not transmit any forces to the surface of the heart. This property of the device prevents the device from inhibiting the heart's natural contractions in the event of a failure of the device or a loss of hydraulic power.

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First Claim