Patent ID: 7811221

Claim:
Apparatus comprising: a first chamber and a second chamber, adapted to be in fluid communication with a first volume and a second volume of oxygenated blood of a subject, respectively, the first chamber and the second chamber having a first surface and a second surface, respectively; a third surface adapted to apply an elastically-derived force, at least a first portion of the third surface in mechanical communication with the first surface, and at least a second portion of the third surface in mechanical communication with the second surface during at least a portion of a cardiac cycle; and a pressure-sensitive valve coupled between the first chamber and the second chamber, the valve adapted to: be in an open position during at least a portion of systole, such that the first chamber is in fluid communication with the second chamber and the first volume is in fluid communication with the second volume, and be in a substantially closed position during diastole, such that the first chamber is substantially not in fluid communication with the second chamber and the first volume is substantially not in fluid communication with the second volume.