Disclosed are techniques to generate ideal or near ideal profiles for regulation of the volume of fluid flow in a drive system of a pump for an externally mechanically supported heart, pressure in or near the pump, or measured strain/strain rates of the supported heart, based on an estimate/measurement of the heart's size. A part of the techniques for regulation may focus on achieving mechanical synchrony with the intrinsic cyclic pump function of a partially functional heart. The techniques do not fundamentally rely on hemodynamic measurements to function. However, when hemodynamic measures are available, those measures can be fed to control algorithms to increase the efficacy of regulation to restore the heart's pump function.

Disclosed are techniques to generate ideal or near ideal profiles for regulation of the volume of fluid flow in a drive system of a pump for an externally mechanically supported heart, pressure in or near the pump, or measured strain/strain rates of the supported heart, based on an estimate/measurement of the heart's size. A part of the techniques for regulation may focus on achieving mechanical synchrony with the intrinsic cyclic pump function of a partially functional heart. The techniques do not fundamentally rely on hemodynamic measurements to function. However, when hemodynamic measures are available, those measures can be fed to control algorithms to increase the efficacy of regulation to restore the heart's pump function.

A pulsatile fluid pump system for driving a fluid pump assembly includes a reciprocating linear motor having a magnet and a coil, the magnet moving in relation to the coil, the coil having an electrical input. The pulsatile fluid pump system further includes a controller system having an electrical output coupled to the electrical input of the coil, and the controller system is configured to execute a waveform program defining an electrical waveform at the electrical output. The waveform program is configured to control operation of the linear motor by modification of a feature, selected from the group consisting of amplitude, frequency, shape, and combinations thereof, of the electrical waveform at the electrical output. The waveform program is further configured to accept a set of user-specifiable parameters defining the performance of the linear motor and to modify the electrical waveform in response to such parameters.

Described herein are devices and methods for pumping fluids. The devices may be implanted within a patient or located external to the body of the patient. When employed externally, the devices may be used to deliver various drugs or support hemodialysis, in addition to pumping blood and maintaining blood circulation. The implantable devices may be used in patients in need of circulatory assistance or a replacement heart. Both the implantable and external pump devices may linearly reciprocate a shuttle within a housing to simultaneously move blood into and out of the housing, and rotate the shuttle to selectively direct the movement of fluid into and out of a plurality of ports in the housing.

Described herein are devices and methods for pumping fluids. The devices may be implanted within a patient or located external to the body of the patient. When employed externally, the devices may be used to deliver various drugs or support hemodialysis, in addition to pumping blood and maintaining blood circulation. The implantable devices may be used in patients in need of circulatory assistance or a replacement heart. Both the implantable and external pump devices may linearly reciprocate a shuttle within a housing to simultaneously move blood into and out of the housing, and rotate the shuttle to selectively direct the movement of fluid into and out of a plurality of ports in the housing.

An assembly for attachment to a gastrostomy feeding tube is provided. The assembly comprises a valve connector and an anchor. The valve connector comprises a housing, a conduit traversing the housing from an inlet to an outlet; and a retaining element extending outwardly from the housing. The anchor comprises an anchor housing configured to receive a portion of the valve connector. The anchor housing has a gastrostomy feeding tube attachment feature for attaching the anchor to the feeding tube, and a valve connector retaining feature that defines a retaining space, wherein the retaining space receives the retaining element of the valve connector and is sized to enable rotation of the retaining element and the valve connector relative to the anchor such that the conduit of the valve connector maintains fluid connection with the gastrostomy feeding tube during rotation. Additional assemblies and systems are also provided for other medical devices.

An assembly for attachment to a gastrostomy feeding tube is provided. The assembly comprises a valve connector and an anchor. The valve connector comprises a housing, a conduit traversing the housing from an inlet to an outlet; and a retaining element extending outwardly from the housing. The anchor comprises an anchor housing configured to receive a portion of the valve connector. The anchor housing has a gastrostomy feeding tube attachment feature for attaching the anchor to the feeding tube, and a valve connector retaining feature that defines a retaining space, wherein the retaining space receives the retaining element of the valve connector and is sized to enable rotation of the retaining element and the valve connector relative to the anchor such that the conduit of the valve connector maintains fluid connection with the gastrostomy feeding tube during rotation. Additional assemblies and systems are also provided for other medical devices.

A diaphragm assembly for a pulsatile fluid pump includes an edge-mounted flexible diaphragm, the diaphragm configured for operation cyclically between a diastole mode and a systole mode. The diaphragm assembly further includes a systolic distribution brace having an interior wall configured to cup a portion of the outside surface of the diaphragm, and a diastolic plate, embedded in the diaphragm, mechanically coupled to a portion of the inside surface of the diaphragm. In the course of the systole mode, force is applied across the maximum radial extent of the systolic distribution brace, so as to impart tension in the diaphragm around the periphery of the systolic distribution brace. In the course of the diastole mode, force is applied across the maximum radial extent of the diastolic plate, so as to impart tension in the diaphragm around the diastolic plate.

A system for drawing blood from a heart of a patient, includes a blood pump, an outflow cannula and a flexible cannula assembly. The cannula assembly further includes a flexible cannula body including a proximal end, a distal end, an inner wall defining a lumen, and an outer wall. A tip is coupled with the distal end of the cannula body, and an anchor is coupled to the tip. The anchor is configured to engage an internal structure of the heart and resists movement of the cannula assembly in at least one direction along the flexible cannula body. A ring member is configured to be coupled to the heart wall and is positioned at least partially around the outer wall of the cannula body proximally relative to the tip. The ring member is further configured to provide hemostasis between the heart wall and the cannula body.

A blood pump (1) comprises a pump casing (2) having a blood flow inlet (5) and a blood flow outlet (6) connected by a passage (7), and an impeller (3) arranged in said pump casing (2) so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation (9). The impeller (2) is provided with blades (4) sized and shaped for conveying blood along the passage (7) from the blood flow inlet (5) to the blood flow outlet (6), the impeller (3) being rotatably supported in the pump casing (2) by at least one bearing (10, 20). A surface of the impeller (3) faces a surface of the pump casing (2) spaced from said surface of the impeller (3) by a clearance (31), the clearance (31) being in fluid connection with the passage (7) at a clearance transition point (36). In order to wash out the clearance, at least one wash out channel (30) extends through the impeller (3) and is in fluid connection with the passage (7) via a first opening (34) and with the clearance (31) via a second opening (35). The first opening (34) of the wash out channel (30) is arranged in an area of the impeller (3) that—during operation of the blood pump (1)—is under a higher pressure than the clearance transition point (36) so as to cause a blood flow from the first opening (34) through the wash out channel (30) and the clearance (31) to the clearance transition point (36).