Methods and devices that prevent stasis in the LAA by either increasing the flow through the LAA or by closing off or sealing the LAA. Increasing the flow is accomplished through shunts, flow diverters, agitators, or by increasing the size of the ostium. Closing off the LAA is accomplished using seals or by cinching the LAA.

Techniques are disclosed for treating arrhythmias using an implantable medical device. An implantable medical device that is adapted for implantation wholly within a heart chamber of the heart of a patient may include a reservoir containing one or more therapeutically useful doses of a drug for treating an arrhythmia. The implantable medical device may include processing circuitry configured to detect an occurrence of the arrhythmia in the heart of the patient. The implantable medical device may include a valve operable to be opened in response to detecting the occurrence of the arrhythmia in the heart of the patient to release a therapeutically useful dose of the drug into the heart of the patient to treat arrhythmia of the heart.

Systems and methods for improving kidney function. A first mechanical circulatory support system (MCS) is introduced in a patient's heart, and a second mechanical circulatory support system is introduced in a patient's inferior vena cava or renal vein. The second mechanical circulatory support system is operated while the first mechanical circulatory support system is operating. A renal parameter is monitored during. Combined operation of the two mechanical circulatory support systems results in a change in renal parameter, e.g. pressure drop in the renal vein, indicating an improvement in kidney function. Once the renal parameter is determined to be below a target threshold, operation of the second mechanical circulatory support device is stopped.

A circulation assist system measures impeller displacement for use in estimating a blood flow rate related parameter. A circulation assist system includes a blood pump and a controller. The blood pump includes an impeller magnetically supported within a blood flow channel. The blood pump includes one or more sensors configured to generate output indicative of displacement of the impeller along the blood flow channel induced by a blood-flow induced thrust load applied to the impeller. The controller is configured to process the output generated by the one or more sensors to determine the displacement of the impeller along the blood flow channel. The controller is configured to process the determined displacement of the impeller to estimate at least one of the thrust load applied to the impeller, a pressure differential of the blood impelled through the blood flow channel, and a flow rate of blood pumped by the blood pump.

Described herein are devices and methods for performing automated and minimally invasive intramyocardial injections for cardiac repair that eliminate the need for opening the chest cavity for injections of therapeutics to the heart muscle to address heart attack, cardiomyopathy or myocardial diseases and can detect diseased tissue and deliver a specified volume of a therapeutic injectate to the region of interest.

The disclosure relates to devices and methods for the treatment of edema that uses an impeller with a balloon that may be mounted on the impeller housing. The invention provides devices and methods for treatment of edema that use an indwelling catheter with an impeller to lower pressure at an outlet of a lymphatic duct and a balloon on the impeller to guide and to restrict blood flow. The balloon restricts return flow from the jugular and guides that flow into the impeller cage. By funneling the flow into the impeller cage, a rate of flow down the vessel may be increased, resulting in a lateral pressure decrease effecting the lymphatic outlet. Because the lymphatic outlet is subject to a pressure decrease, fluids in the lymphatic system drain to the outlet and into the circulatory system.

A device for stabilizing catheters such as delivery catheters is disclosed. The device includes a radially expandable structure which extends from a proximal end to an opposing distal end. The expandable structure is secured to a stabilizer catheter at its proximal end. The device includes means to position the delivery catheter relative to the expandable structure. The means may include one or more attachment members arranged to extend distally from the distal end of the expandable structure. Each attachment member is coupleable to a connector projecting near a distal tip of the delivery catheter. The means may alternatively include one or more sleeves, each arranged for the respective one of the delivery catheters to insert therethrough. A retractable catheter sheath is moveable along the longitudinal axis of the expandable structure to extend the expandable structure between a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration. A kit for stabilizing catheters is also enclosed. The kit includes a delivery catheter. The delivery catheter may comprise a connector projecting near a distal end thereof for coupling the attachment member. A method of use of the device for the delivery of biocompatible materials is also disclosed.

A robotic catheter system includes a base and a robotic mechanism having a longitudinal axis and being movable relative to the base along the longitudinal axis. A flexible track is releasably secured to the base and includes an outer surface having a longitudinal opening slit extending therethrough to an inner channel. A rigid guide has a non-linear portion fixed relative to the robotic mechanism. A portion of the flexible track moves along the non-linear portion of the rigid guide away from the longitudinal axis when the robotic mechanism moves along the longitudinal axis.

A large bore catheter has a guiding rail extending therethrough and an advance segment of the rail extends at least about 10 cm beyond the distal end of the catheter. The advance segment is advanced from the vena cava through the tricuspid and pulmonary valves of the heart into the central pulmonary artery while the distal end of the large bore catheter remains in the vena cava. The large bore catheter is thereafter distally advanced over the rail until the large bore catheter distal end is at least as far as the central pulmonary artery. The rail is thereafter proximally removed from the large bore catheter, and at least a portion of a clot is drawn from a pulmonary artery into the large bore catheter.

In a pump housing having an interior for accommodating a pump rotor, which may be transferred from a radially compressed state into a radially expanded state, and comprises a housing skin revolving in circumferential direction, as well as at least one reinforcement element, a stretch-resistant element revolving in circumferential direction is provided, which is stretched less than 5% in the expanded state as opposed to the force-free state in circumferential direction, and which limits any further expansion of the pump housing in radial direction.