Cannula System for "Bridge to Recovery" Cardiac Assist

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Cardiac failure is the, largest single cause of mortality in the United States today. With an increase in the use of long-term cardiac assist devices, there is also a need for the short-term "bridge to recovery" application. This application is intended to provide a low-cost temporary support for patients whose heart is capable of recovering. This "patient screen" can provide a group of patients the possibility of retaining their natural hearts, as well as lower the overall financial burden on the health care system by reducing the initial use of the more expensive long-term support. The ultimate objective of this proposed research is to develop a novel cannula system for "bridge to recovery" application. Abiomed is currently using a conventional cannulation system for this application, with both AB5000 and BVS 5000 ventricular assist systems. Although robust and effective, this cannula system is prone to occasional bleeding and can not be removed by a minimally invasive procedure. Both the elimination of bleeding and introduction of minimal invasive removal are expected to significantly improve the patient outcome and are critical quality of life issues for patients. Starting with the current Abiomed cannulae as a base, detailed studies in phase I will develop and test (in vivo) our novel cannulation system that will eliminate bleeding and allow for a minimally invasive removal. Phase II studies comprise a development program to commercialize the system and will include more detailed animal studies to examine the long-term characteristics of the cannula in situ. The need for a less invasive cannula system is very visible in our sector, and will become increasingly important as the sector poises to address larger populations. For these patients a robust, complication-free cannulation system will play a critical role in saving their lives.