C-Pulse® System: A Heart Assist Device Clinical Study

The C-Pulse® System is indicated for use in patients with moderate to severe heart failure while on optimal heart failure drug and on device therapies. The C-Pulse® System is intended to relieve the symptoms of heart failure, improve quality of life and cardiac function, and reduce the need for heart failure hospitalization. It is intended for use in hospital and at home. It is not intended as a replacement for heart function; it is not life sustaining or life-supporting therapy. It does not preclude the use of other heart failure therapies, such as valve surgery, heart transplantation or LVAD. The Sunshine Heart C-Pulse System is an implantable, non-blood contacting, non-obligatory, heart assist device. The system provides cardiac assistance through an extra-aortic balloon Cuff and ECG sense lead connected by means of a Percutaneous Interface Lead (PIL) to an external pneumatic Driver. The PIL is held secure externally, at the exit site, with a simple adhesive clip (C-Patch or similar) for immobilization of the external part of the PIL. The Driver is adjusted using a dedicated notebook computer (Programmer) with specialized software. The non-blood contacting feature of the C-Pulse® System also allows the device to be intermittently turned off as tolerated. This allows the patient freedom for personal hygiene.