Patent ID: 8795149

Claim:
A device for treating cardiac disease comprising: a cardiac jacket adapted to fit generally around the heart of a mammal, the jacket comprising an inner layer proximal to the heart and an outer layer distal to the heart, each composed of a biocompatible material, the inner and outer layers coupled to form one or more fluid-tight seals that define one chamber adapted to generally overlay the right ventricle (the right chamber), or one chamber adapted to generally overlay the left ventricle (the left chamber); a first fluid passageway linked to the right chamber or the left chamber; a fluid reservoir linked to the first fluid passageway; and a pump linked to the fluid reservoir and adapted to pump fluid from the fluid reservoir into the right chamber or the left chamber and to withdraw the fluid from the chamber in a cycle to expand the right chamber or the left chamber during systole and contract the chambers during diastole to assist systolic pumping of the heart or diastolic refilling of the heart or both; wherein the chamber in use does not cover the apex of the heart and in operation the jacket does not compress the apex of the heart upward; wherein the chamber has an apical border that in use is toward the apex of the heart and below the widest point of the heart and a base border that in use is toward the base of the heart; wherein the fluid passageway is linked to the chamber near the apical border and below the widest point of the heart and the chamber in use expands and compresses the heart from near the apical border of the chamber toward the base border of the chamber; wherein at least one of the chambers comprises internal seals that form channels through the chamber and slow fluid flow through the chamber compared to an otherwise identical chamber lacking the internal seals and wherein the channels serve to channel incoming fluid flow from the apical border of the chamber toward the base border of the chamber.