Catheter blood pumps that include an expandable pump portion. The pump portions include a collapsible blood conduit that defines a blood lumen. The collapsible blood conduits include a collapsible scaffold adapted to provide radial support to the blood conduit. The pump portion also includes one or more impellers.

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.

Apparatus and methods are described including a blood pump that includes an impeller configured to pump blood through a subject's body, and a frame disposed around the impeller. In a radially-non-constrained configuration of the frame, the frame defines a proximal conical portion and a cylindrical portion disposed distally to the proximal conical portion. During operation of the blood pump, the impeller moves with respect to the frame, and a range of movement of the impeller is such that at least a first portion of the impeller is disposed within the proximal conical portion of the frame during at least some of the operation of the blood pump, and at least a second portion of the impeller is disposed within the cylindrical portion of the frame during at least some of the operation of the blood pump. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described including a blood pump that includes an impeller configured to pump blood through a subject's body, and a frame disposed around the impeller. In a radially-non-constrained configuration of the frame, the frame defines a proximal conical portion and a cylindrical portion disposed distally to the proximal conical portion. During operation of the blood pump, the impeller moves with respect to the frame, and a range of movement of the impeller is such that at least a first portion of the impeller is disposed within the proximal conical portion of the frame during at least some of the operation of the blood pump, and at least a second portion of the impeller is disposed within the cylindrical portion of the frame during at least some of the operation of the blood pump. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described including a left-ventricular assist device that includes a frame that includes proximal and distal frame portions that include struts that define cells, and a central frame portion that includes helical struts. An impeller is disposed inside the frame, the impeller being configured to rotate such as to pump blood from a left ventricle of a subject to an aorta of the subject. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described including a left-ventricular assist device that includes a frame that includes proximal and distal frame portions that include struts that define cells, and a central frame portion that includes helical struts. An impeller is disposed inside the frame, the impeller being configured to rotate such as to pump blood from a left ventricle of a subject to an aorta of the subject. 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.

The present invention relates to a rotary blood pump with a double pivot contact bearing system with an operating range between about 50 mL/min and about 1500 mL/min. The rotary blood pump is part of a blood pump system that includes blood conduit(s), a control system with optional sensors, and a power source. Embodiments of the present invention may include elements such as wear resistant bearing materials, a rotor back plate for magnetic attraction of the rotor to reduce bearing pivot bearing forces and wear, a rotor size and shape and a bearing gap that combine to create a hydrodynamic bearing effect and reduce bearing pivot bearing forces and wear, improved intravascular conduits with increased resistance to thrombosis, conduit insertion site cuffs to resist infection, and conduit side ports amenable to the easy insertion of guidewire and catheter-based medical devices.

A mechanical circulatory support device is provided. The device has a housing containing separate first and second pumps. Each pump having an inlet, an outlet, and an impeller. The device also having a switching mechanism located within the housing and movable from a first position to a second position to divert blood flow within the housing to an inlet of one of the pumps and/or to bypass blood flow relative to one of the pumps within the housing.

A mechanical circulatory support device is provided. The device has a housing containing separate first and second pumps. Each pump having an inlet, an outlet, and an impeller. The device also having a switching mechanism located within the housing and movable from a first position to a second position to divert blood flow within the housing to an inlet of one of the pumps and/or to bypass blood flow relative to one of the pumps within the housing.