Apparatus and methods are described including a blood pump configured to be placed inside a body of subject, the blood pump including an impeller configured to pump the subject's blood by rotating, and an axial shaft upon which the impeller is disposed. Proximal and distal radial bearings are configured to stabilize the axial shaft radially during rotation of the impeller. An atraumatic distal-tip portion is disposed distally with respect to the impeller, the atraumatic distal-tip portion including an inflatable portion. A purging fluid is pumped toward the distal-tip portion, such as to (a) purge the distal bearing, and (b) inflate the inflatable portion of the distal-tip portion. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described, including a left-ventricular assist device that includes an impeller, and a frame disposed around the impeller, the frame having a length of more than 25 mm when disposed in a non-radially constrained configuration. A rigid axial shaft extends from a proximal end of the frame to a distal end of the frame. A motor is disposed outside a body of a subject, and drives the impeller to pump blood within the subject's body, by rotating. A drive cable extends from outside the subject's body to the axial shaft. The drive cable imparts rotational motion from the motor to the impeller by rotating. The drive cable is a flexible cable comprising a plurality of coiled wires. Other applications are also described.

A bearing assembly is configured to retain an end of an impeller of a blood pump and includes a thrust plate having a distal-facing surface and an impeller bearing surface configured to be disposed adjacent the distal-facing surface such that a gap is defined between the distal-facing surface of the thrust plate and the impeller bearing surface. The impeller bearing surface includes at least one washout blade disposed thereon and configured to facilitate blood flow through the gap.

Apparatus and methods are described including a ventricular assist device that includes a tube. A proximal portion of the tube traverses a subject's aortic valve, and a distal portion of the tube is disposed within the subject's left ventricle. A blood pump is disposed within the distal portion of the tube and pumps blood through the tube from the subject's left ventricle to the subject's aorta, by pumping the blood into the tube via one or more blood inlet openings that are defined by the tube and that are configured to be disposed within the subject's left ventricle, and by pumping blood out of the tube via one or more blood outlet openings that are defined by the tube and that are configured to be disposed within the subject's aorta. The one or more blood outlet openings have teardrop shapes. Other applications are also described.

A method is provided for supporting heart function of a patient. The method comprises the step of securing an intracorporeal device across at least two anatomical walls of the heart, wherein at least one anatomical wall is an intra-cardiac wall and a least one anatomical wall is an extra-cardiac wall.

In one embodiment of the present invention, an implantable blood pump includes a housing defining a flow path, a rotor positioned within the flow path, and a motor including a stator, positioned outside of said housing, the stator including a length of silver wire, wherein the silver wire is not positioned within a hermetically sealed compartment once the blood pump is ready for implantation into a patient in need thereof. The present invention may also include a method of implanting the implantable blood pump including the step of implanting the blood pump within the patient and within or adjacent to the vasculature.

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.

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.

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 within the subject's left ventricle. A frame disposed within the distal portion of the tube defines cells, and a width of each of the cells within a cylindrical portion of the frame is less than 2 mm. An inner lining lines at least some of the cylindrical portion of the frame. An impeller is disposed inside the frame such that a gap between an outer edge of the impeller and the inner lining is less than 1 mm. The impeller is stabilized with respect to the frame, such that, during rotation of the impeller, the gap between the outer edge of the impeller and the inner lining is maintained and is substantially constant. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described including manufacturing an impeller by forming a structure having first and second bushings at proximal and distal ends that are connected to one another by at least one elongate element. The elongate element is made to radially expand and form a helical elongate element. An elastomeric material is coupled to the helical elongate element, such that the helical elongate element with the elastomeric material coupled thereto defines a blade of the impeller. The coupling is performed such that a layer of the material disposed around a radially outer edge of the helical elongate element forms the effective edge of the impeller blade. A step is performed to enhance bonding of the elastomeric material to the helical elongate element in a manner that does not cause a protrusion from the effective edge of the impeller blade. Other applications are also described.