Patent ID: 7572217

Claim:
A system for providing cardiac support to a patient and for promoting myocardial repair and recovery, comprising: a device for connecting to a vasculature of the patient, including a pump defining a blood-receiving volume, and a cannula in fluid communication with said blood-receiving volume for connecting to the vasculature of the patient such that said blood-receiving volume may receive blood from and return blood to the vasculature of the patient through said cannula; and a control module, for controlling the device, including a means for establishing user-defined parameters to (a) control flow of blood from the heart to the device, wherein said user-defined parameters are directed to a selected timing and morphology for filling the device with blood so as to promote myocardial repair and recovery, and (b) control flow from the device to vasculature downstream of the device, wherein said user-defined parameters are directed to a selected timing and morphology for ejecting blood from the device so as to promote myocardial repair and recovery, and a means for operating said pump of the device, which is in communication with said means for establishing user-defined parameters such that the operation of said pump is in response to said established user-defined parameters.