US 12,402,884 B2
Systems and methods for selectively occluding the superior vena cava for treating heart conditions
Navin K. Kapur, Hanover, MA (US); and Richard H. Karas, Franklin, MA (US)
Assigned to Tufts Medical Center, Inc., Boston, MA (US)
Appl. No. 16/758,820
Filed by Tufts Medical Center, Inc., Boston, MA (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 23, 2018, PCT No. PCT/US2018/057085
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 23, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/083989, PCT Pub. Date May 2, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/642,569, filed on Mar. 13, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/576,529, filed on Oct. 24, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0177425 A1, Jun. 17, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 17/12 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61M 25/10 (2013.01); A61M 60/135 (2021.01); A61M 60/161 (2021.01); A61M 60/174 (2021.01); A61M 60/178 (2021.01); A61M 60/216 (2021.01); A61M 60/289 (2021.01); A61M 60/295 (2021.01); A61M 60/508 (2021.01); A61M 60/839 (2021.01); A61M 60/843 (2021.01)
CPC A61B 17/12036 (2013.01) [A61B 17/12045 (2013.01); A61B 17/12109 (2013.01); A61B 17/12136 (2013.01); A61M 25/10185 (2013.11); A61M 60/135 (2021.01); A61M 60/161 (2021.01); A61M 60/174 (2021.01); A61M 60/178 (2021.01); A61M 60/216 (2021.01); A61M 60/289 (2021.01); A61M 60/295 (2021.01); A61M 60/508 (2021.01); A61M 60/839 (2021.01); A61M 60/843 (2021.01); A61B 2017/00557 (2013.01); A61M 2025/1052 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3331 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for providing improvement in cardiorenal function for a patient, the system comprising:
a catheter having a proximal end and a distal region, the catheter configured for intravascular placement so that the distal region is disposed in a superior vena cava (SVC) of the patient;
a flow limiting element disposed on the distal region of the catheter, the flow limiting element sized and shaped to fully occlude the SVC and configured to be selectively actuated to fully occlude the SVC; and
a controller configured to be operatively coupled to the catheter, the controller comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of the controller, cause the controller to intermittently actuate the flow limiting element to fully occlude the SVC for a first predetermined time interval spanning multiple cardiac cycles and to contract for a second predetermined time interval spanning multiple cardiac cycles to create a negative pressure sink in a right atrium of the patient sufficient to accelerate flow from a renal vein, thereby enhancing renal decongestion and promoting blood flow across a kidney of the patient,
wherein the first predetermined time interval is at least one minute and at least five times greater than the second predetermined time interval.
 
19. A method for providing improvement in cardiorenal function for a patient, the method comprising:
intravascularly placing a flow limiting element disposed on a distal region of a catheter into a superior vena cava (SVC) of the patient; and
intermittently actuating the flow limiting element responsive to instructions programmed in a controller to expand the flow limiting element to fully occlude the SVC for a first predetermined time interval spanning multiple cardiac cycles and to contract for a second predetermined time interval spanning multiple cardiac cycles, wherein the first predetermined time interval is at least one minute and at least five times greater than the second predetermined time interval,
wherein intermittently actuating the flow limiting element creates a negative pressure sink in a right atrium of the patient sufficient to accelerate flow from a renal vein, thereby enhancing renal decongestion and promoting blood flow across a kidney of the patient.