The invention relates to a flexible shaft arrangement having a flexible hollow shaft which has an end at the drive side and an end at the output side, wherein the hollow shaft is reinforced sectionally between these ends by a core extending in its interior. Stiffer and more flexible sections can hereby be selectively positioned within the shaft arrangement.

A method for synchronizing operation of a heart assist pump device to a patient's cardiac cycle includes obtaining a signal from a motor of a heart assist pump device and filtering the signal to remove noise. The method also includes determining a speed synchronization start point at which time the motor of the heart assist pump device will begin a change in speed of operation based on the filtered signal. The method further includes modulating a speed of the motor of the heart assist pump device to a target speed at the speed synchronization start point, thereby synchronizing the change in speed of operation with a patient's cardiac cycle.

An intra-cardiac device component (ICDC) is inserted into one to four chambers of the heart. The ICDC in the right atrium and left atrium expands while the tricuspid and mitral valves are open during the first-time epoch. The expansion in the right atrium and left atrium pushes blood from these atriums into their respective ventricles. The ICDC in the right ventricle and left ventricle contracts at this time epoch and the pulmonary and aortic valves are closed. In the succeeding time epoch, the ICDC in the right atrium and left atrium contracts while the tricuspid and mitral valves are closed, and the right atrium and left atrium are filling with blood. The ICDC in the right ventricle and left ventricle expand in this time epoch while the pulmonary and aortic valves are open. This sequence increases blood flow into the pulmonary artery and aorta and helps to remedy the decreased ability to pump blood in heart failure patients.

A method for synchronizing operation of a heart assist pump device to a patient's cardiac cycle includes obtaining a signal from a motor of a heart assist pump device and filtering the signal to remove noise. The method also includes determining a speed synchronization start point at which time the motor of the heart assist pump device will begin a change in speed of operation based on the filtered signal. The method further includes modulating a speed of the motor of the heart assist pump device to a target speed at the speed synchronization start point, thereby synchronizing the change in speed of operation with a patient's cardiac cycle.

A method for synchronizing operation of a heart assist pump device to a patient's cardiac cycle includes obtaining a signal from a motor of a heart assist pump device and filtering the signal to remove noise. The method also includes determining a speed synchronization start point at which time the motor of the heart assist pump device will begin a change in speed of operation based on the filtered signal. The method further includes modulating a speed of the motor of the heart assist pump device to a target speed at the speed synchronization start point, thereby synchronizing the change in speed of operation with a patient's cardiac cycle.

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.

A temporary, removable mechanical circulatory support heart-assist device has at least two propellers or impellers. Each propeller or impeller has a number of blades arranged around an axis of rotation. The blades are configured to pump blood. The two propellers or impellers rotate in opposite directions from each other. The device can be configured to be implanted and removed with minimally invasive surgery.

A method for synchronizing operation of a heart assist pump device to a patient's cardiac cycle includes obtaining a signal from a motor of a heart assist pump device and filtering the signal to remove noise. The method also includes determining a speed synchronization start point at which time the motor of the heart assist pump device will begin a change in speed of operation based on the filtered signal. The method further includes modulating a speed of the motor of the heart assist pump device to a target speed at the speed synchronization start point, thereby synchronizing the change in speed of operation with a patient's cardiac cycle.

A cannula supporting a percutaneous pump can include a proximal section with a first flexural modulus. The cannula can include one or more distal sections with a flexural modulus that is different than the first flexural modulus. The material and its arrangement along the length of the cannula can be selected so as to influence bending properties. This can, for example, allow efficient positioning of the cannula in a desired location without displacing the guidewire.

The invention relates to a flexible shaft arrangement having a flexible hollow shaft (1, 2) which has an, end at the drive side and an end at the output side, wherein the hollow shaft is reinforced sectionally between these ends by a core (3, 4) extending in its interior. Stiffer and more flexible sections can hereby be selectively positioned within the shaft arrangement.