Apparatus and methods are described including coupling a rigid tube to a drive cable that comprises a plurality of coiled wires, by placing ends of the drive cable and the rigid tube at a given location within a butt-welding overtube. The ends of the drive cable and the rigid tube are visible when they are disposed at the given location within the butt-welding overtube, via a window defined by the butt-welding overtube. The placement of the drive cable within the butt-welding overtube is such that a helical groove within a portion of the butt-welding overtube is disposed over the drive cable. Welding rings are formed around the butt-welding overtube. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described including a left-ventricular assist device that includes a tube configured to traverse a subject's aortic valve, with a distal portion of the tube disposed within the subject's left ventricle. A frame is disposed within the distal portion of the tube. A pump disposed within the frame pumps blood through the tube. A distal-tip element defines a straight proximal portion that defines a longitudinal axis, and a curved distal portion that is shaped such as to curve in a first direction with respect to the longitudinal axis before passing through an inflection point and curving in a second direction with respect to the longitudinal axis, such that the curved distal portion defines a bulge on one side of the longitudinal axis. Other applications are also described.

An improved system for supporting (e.g., localization and/or positioning of) intravascular devices discussed herein provides for example a multi-element arrangement. A set of struts optionally projects from the intravascular device and contacts the vessel walls. The localization and positioning of the pump may be provided by the struts and/or by use of a tether opposing a propulsive force to ensure localization.

The disclosure relates to devices and methods for the treatment of edema using a purge-free system. The invention provides devices and methods useful for treating edema by means of an indwelling catheter that is placed in a blood vessel of a patient and used to pump blood to cause a decrease in pressure at an outlet of a lymphatic duct. The catheter pumps blood by means of an impeller but is purge-free in that the catheter does not include a system for purging or flushing catheter components with a purge fluid. The purge-free catheter avoids blood-related mechanical complications such as clotting or thrombosis by means of an impermeable sleeve or shroud that protects moving parts of the impeller drive system.

Intravascular blood pumps and methods of use. The blood pump include a pump portion that includes a collapsible blood conduit defining a blood flow lumen between an inflow and an outflow. The pump portion includes a distal collapsible impeller axially spaced from a proximal collapsible impeller, at least a portion of each of the distal and proximal collapsible impellers disposed between the inflow and the outflow.

Intravascular blood pumps and methods of use. The blood pump include a pump portion that includes a collapsible blood conduit defining a blood flow lumen between an inflow and an outflow. The pump portion includes a distal collapsible impeller axially spaced from a proximal collapsible impeller, at least a portion of each of the distal and proximal collapsible impellers disposed between the inflow and the outflow.

Described are means for the direct and continuous connection of a catheter to the lumen of any tubular anatomical structure, or ductus, without medically significant leakage. A port implanted at the body surface with piping to a periductal collar allows drug or radionuclide delivery that bypasses the upstream lumen. The port allows injection, infusion, aspiration, or attachment of an automatic ambulatory pump. A superparamagnetic nanoparticle carrier-bound drug, for example, can be introduced into the lumen to pass downstream until the particles, with or without the drug still bound, are drawn into the lumen wall by a magnetized jacket surrounding the ductus. Such constitutes a method of drug targeting whereby a segment of a vessel or the territory supplied by a branch of that segment can be circumscribed for exposure to the drug. A jacket with side-entry connector positioned in surrounding relation to a lesion requiring treatment can itself be magnetized.

Described are means for the direct and continuous connection of a catheter to the lumen of any tubular anatomical structure, or ductus, without medically significant leakage. A port implanted at the body surface with piping to a periductal collar allows drug or radionuclide delivery that bypasses the upstream lumen. The port allows injection, infusion, aspiration, or attachment of an automatic ambulatory pump. A superparamagnetic nanoparticle carrier-bound drug, for example, can be introduced into the lumen to pass downstream until the particles, with or without the drug still bound, are drawn into the lumen wall by a magnetized jacket surrounding the ductus. Such constitutes a method of drug targeting whereby a segment of a vessel or the territory supplied by a branch of that segment can be circumscribed for exposure to the drug. A jacket with side-entry connector positioned in surrounding relation to a lesion requiring treatment can itself be magnetized.

A connector unit for a control unit is configured to control an implantable blood pump. The connector unit includes a supply interface designed for connecting the connector unit to a power supply, a data interface designed for connecting the connector unit to a data processing unit, and a control interface designed for connecting the connector unit to an integrated interface of the control unit. A supply connection of the control unit to the power supply and a data connection of the control unit to the data processing unit can be established at the same time by means of the connector unit. The application furthermore relates to a control unit for controlling an implantable blood pump and to a control system for an implantable blood pump.

A connector unit for a control unit is configured to control an implantable blood pump. The connector unit includes a supply interface designed for connecting the connector unit to a power supply, a data interface designed for connecting the connector unit to a data processing unit, and a control interface designed for connecting the connector unit to an integrated interface of the control unit. A supply connection of the control unit to the power supply and a data connection of the control unit to the data processing unit can be established at the same time by means of the connector unit. The application furthermore relates to a control unit for controlling an implantable blood pump and to a control system for an implantable blood pump.