A blood flow assist system can include an impeller assembly including an impeller shaft and an impeller on the impeller shaft, a primary flow pathway disposed along an exterior surface of the impeller. The system can include a rotor assembly at a proximal portion of the impeller shaft. A secondary flow pathway can be disposed along a lumen of the impeller shaft. During operation of the blood flow assist system, blood can be pumped proximally along the primary flow pathway and the secondary flow pathway. The system can include a sleeve bearing distal the impeller. The system can include a drive unit having a distal end disposed distal a proximal end of the second impeller. The drive unit comprising a drive magnet and a drive bearing between the drive magnet and the impeller assembly.

A system has a first compressor and a second compressor. A heat rejection heat exchanger is coupled to the first and second compressors to receive refrigerant compressed by the compressors. The system includes an economizer for receiving refrigerant from the heat rejection heat exchanger and reducing an enthalpy of a first portion of the received refrigerant while increasing an enthalpy of a second portion. The second portion is returned to the compressor. The ejector has a primary inlet coupled to the means to receive a first flow of the reduced enthalpy refrigerant. The ejector has a secondary inlet and an outlet. The outlet is coupled to the first compressor to return refrigerant to the first compressor. A first heat absorption heat exchanger is coupled to the economizer to receive a second flow of the reduced enthalpy refrigerant and is upstream of the secondary inlet of the ejector. A second heat absorption heat exchanger is between the outlet of the ejector and the first compressor.

A system has a first compressor and a second compressor. A heat rejection heat exchanger is coupled to the first and second compressors to receive refrigerant compressed by the compressors. The system includes an economizer for receiving refrigerant from the heat rejection heat exchanger and reducing an enthalpy of a first portion of the received refrigerant while increasing an enthalpy of a second portion. The second portion is returned to the compressor. The ejector has a primary inlet coupled to the means to receive a first flow of the reduced enthalpy refrigerant. The ejector has a secondary inlet and an outlet. The outlet is coupled to the first compressor to return refrigerant to the first compressor. A first heat absorption heat exchanger is coupled to the economizer to receive a second flow of the reduced enthalpy refrigerant and is upstream of the secondary inlet of the ejector. A second heat absorption heat exchanger is between the outlet of the ejector and the first compressor.

The subject matter of the present invention is a pump arrangement, in particular for use in the body's own vessels, having a pump and a sheath receiving the pump, bounding a flow passage and having a distal intake opening and a proximal outflow opening for producing a driving flow by means of the pump, wherein the pump is arranged in a first fluid-tight section having the distal intake opening and a second fluid-tight section includes the proximal outflow opening. In accordance with the invention, a further inlet opening is present between the first section, and the second section and is arranged between the intake opening and the outflow opening, with the first section and the second section being arranged with respect to one another such that the inlet opening opens into the flow proximal to the pump.

The subject matter of the present invention is a pump arrangement, in particular for use in the body's own vessels, having a pump and a sheath receiving the pump, bounding a flow passage and having a distal intake opening and a proximal outflow opening for producing a driving flow by means of the pump, wherein the pump is arranged in a first fluid-tight section having the distal intake opening and a second fluid-tight section includes the proximal outflow opening. In accordance with the invention, a further inlet opening is present between the first section, and the second section and is arranged between the intake opening and the outflow opening, with the first section and the second section being arranged with respect to one another such that the inlet opening opens into the flow proximal to the pump.

A floating liquid intake for a liquid suction removal system, the liquid intake comprising housing defining an internal cavity. The housing has a hollow and buoyant annular body, an upper cover and a lower cover. The internal cavity is formed between the upper and lower covers. A substantially annular inlet is formed in the annular body for ingress of liquid into the cavity. The annular body has a buoyancy sufficient for the liquid intake to float in a liquid with the annular inlet submerged below the surface of the liquid in which the liquid intake is floating. A pipe extends into the cavity and the pipe includes an inlet that in use is open below the surface of the liquid within the cavity. The pipe extends outside of the cavity for connection to a liquid suction removal system.

A floating liquid intake for a liquid suction removal system, the liquid intake comprising housing defining an internal cavity. The housing has a hollow and buoyant annular body, an upper cover and a lower cover. The internal cavity is formed between the upper and lower covers. A substantially annular inlet is formed in the annular body for ingress of liquid into the cavity. The annular body has a buoyancy sufficient for the liquid intake to float in a liquid with the annular inlet submerged below the surface of the liquid in which the liquid intake is floating. A pipe extends into the cavity and the pipe includes an inlet that in use is open below the surface of the liquid within the cavity. The pipe extends outside of the cavity for connection to a liquid suction removal system.

Apparatus and methods are described including placing, into a subject's body, a blood-pump tube, with an impeller disposed within the blood-pump tube. At least one blood-pressure-measurement element extends to at least an outer surface of the blood-pump tube, such that the distal end of the blood-pressure-measurement element is in direct fluid communication with a bloodstream of the subject outside the blood-pump tube at a location that is proximal to blood-inlet opening(s) defined by the blood-pump tube. Blood is pumped through the blood-pump tube, using the impeller. Pressure of the bloodstream of the subject outside the blood-pump tube is measured by measuring blood pressure at the distal end of the left-ventricular blood-pressure-measurement element. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described including placing, into a subject's body, a blood-pump tube, with an impeller disposed within the blood-pump tube. At least one blood-pressure-measurement element extends to at least an outer surface of the blood-pump tube, such that the distal end of the blood-pressure-measurement element is in direct fluid communication with a bloodstream of the subject outside the blood-pump tube at a location that is proximal to blood-inlet opening(s) defined by the blood-pump tube. Blood is pumped through the blood-pump tube, using the impeller. Pressure of the bloodstream of the subject outside the blood-pump tube is measured by measuring blood pressure at the distal end of the left-ventricular blood-pressure-measurement element. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described including a blood pump that is placed inside a body of subject. The blood pump includes an impeller that includes proximal and distal bushings, and that defines an axial lumen that extends from the proximal bushing to the distal bushing, a frame disposed around the impeller, and an axial shaft that passes through the proximal and distal bushings of the impeller. A distal end of a delivery catheter, and the frame and the impeller, are configured to be moved with respect to one another, to thereby cause the frame to assume a radially-constrained configuration by the frame becoming axially elongated, and cause the impeller to assume a radially-constrained configuration by the impeller becoming axially elongated. Other applications are also described.