Patent ID: 7850729

Claim:
A device for assisting in the operation of the natural heart, comprising: an external jacket configured for engaging an outer area of a chamber of the heart, the jacket including a free wall section external to the heart and configured for engaging a free wall of the heart chamber and a basal section external to the heart and configured for engaging a base of the heart chamber; the basal section including at least one aperture for accommodating an atrial chamber of the heart and at least one aperture for accommodating a great vessel of the heart; a sleeve configured for engaging and surrounding a great vessel of the heart and a portion of the sleeve dimensioned to pass through the aperture in the jacket that accommodates the great vessel; a collar configured for engaging an atrial chamber of the heart and a portion of the collar dimensioned to engage the aperture in the jacket that accommodates the atrial chamber; at least the free wall section being flexurally elastic and operable for being deformed to deform the heart chamber free wall; the free wall section further being resiliently biased to automatically recoil after deformation to assist filling of the heart chamber.