A biomedical apparatus for pumping blood of a human or an animal patient through a secondary blood circuit is provided, including a blood pump, an inlet duct and an outlet duct for guiding blood of the patient to the blood pump and back to the patient. The apparatus further includes a measuring device with at least one pressure sensor for measuring pressure values in the patient's circulatory system. A controller is provided that includes at least two different preset control algorithms for regulating the operating point of the blood pump based on the measured pressure values. The controller is configured to select one of these preset control algorithms for being applied in dependence on the position of the at least one pressure sensor in the patient's circulatory system.

A catheter pump system with a pump having a fluid displacement member in the blood flow channel, a motor and a motor controller having a pressure sensing port for connection to a control pressure source. The motor controller is arranged for causing motor speed to be increased in response to a reduction of pressure applied to the pressure sensing port and for causing motor speed to be reduced in response to an increase of pressure applied to the pressure sensing port. The motor may be a pneumatic motor for driving the pump and the motor controller may be arranged for controlling motor speed by reducing flow through a supply channel to the motor and allowing an increase of flow through the supply channel to the motor in response to control signals received via an input interface.

A catheter pump system with a pump having a fluid displacement member in the blood flow channel, a motor and a motor controller having a pressure sensing port for connection to a control pressure source. The motor controller is arranged for causing motor speed to be increased in response to a reduction of pressure applied to the pressure sensing port and for causing motor speed to be reduced in response to an increase of pressure applied to the pressure sensing port. The motor may be a pneumatic motor for driving the pump and the motor controller may be arranged for controlling motor speed by reducing flow through a supply channel to the motor and allowing an increase of flow through the supply channel to the motor in response to control signals received via an input interface.

An implantable pump system is provided, including an implantable blood pump suitable for use as a partial support assist device, the system further including an extracorporeal battery and a controller coupled to the implantable pump, and a programmer selectively periodically coupled to the controller to configure and adjust operating parameters of the implantable pump. The implantable pump includes a flexible membrane coupled to an electromagnetic actuator including a magnetic assembly and electromagnetic assembly, so that when the electromagnetic assembly is energized, the electromagnetic assembly causes wavelike undulations to propagate along the flexible membrane to propel blood through the implantable pump. The controller may be programmed by a programmer to operate at frequencies and duty cycles that mimic physiologic flow rates and pulsatility while operating in an efficient manner that avoids thrombus formation, hemolysis and/or platelet activation.

Mechanical circulatory supports configured to operate in series with the native heart are disclosed. In an embodiment, an intravascular propeller is installed into the descending aorta and anchored within via an expandable anchoring mechanism. The propeller and anchoring mechanism may be foldable so as to be percutaneously deliverable to the aorta. The propeller may have foldable blades. The blades may be magnetic and may be driven by a concentric electromagnetic stator circumferentially outside the magnetic blades. The stator may be intravascular or may be configured to be installed around the outer circumference of the blood vessel. The support may create a pressure rise between about 20-50 mmHg, and maintain a flow rate of about 5 L/min. The support may have one or more pairs of contra-rotating propellers to modulate the tangential velocity of the blood flow. The support may have static pre-swirlers and or de-swirlers. The support may be optimized to replicate naturally occurring vortex formation within the descending aorta.

Mechanical circulatory supports configured to operate in series with the native heart are disclosed. In an embodiment, a centrifugal pump is used. In an embodiment, inlet and outlet ports are connected into the aorta and blood flow is diverted through a lumen and a centrifugal pump between the inlet and outlet ports. The supports may create a pressure rise between about 40-80 mmHg, and maintain a flow rate of about 5 L/min. The support may be configured to be inserted in a collinear manner with the descending aorta. The support may be optimized to replicate naturally occurring vortex formation within the aorta. Diffusers of different dimensions and configurations, such as helical configuration, and/or the orientation of installation may be used to optimize vortex formation. The support may use an impeller which is electromagnetically suspended, stabilized, and rotated to pump blood.

A hemodynamic flow assist device includes a miniature pump, a basket-like cage enclosing and supporting the pump, and a motor to drive the pump. The device is implanted and retrieved in a minimally invasive manner via percutaneous access to a patient's artery. The device has a first, collapsed configuration to assist in implantation and a second, expanded configuration once deployed and active. The device is deployed within a patient's aorta and is secured in place via a self-expanding cage which engages the inner wall of the aorta. The device includes a helical screw pump with self-expanding blades, sensors, and anchoring structures. Also disclosed is a retrieval device to remove the hemodynamic flow assist device once it is no longer needed by the patient and an arterial closure device to close the artery access point after implantation and removal of the hemodynamic flow assist device. The hemodynamic flow assist device helps to increase blood flow in patients suffering from congestive heart failure and awaiting heart transplant.

An implantable blood pump includes a housing defining an inlet and an outlet and a flow path therethrough. A rotor is disposed within the housing. A stator is disposed within the housing, the stator being configured to rotate the rotor when a current is applied to the stator. A volute is disposed distal to the rotor proximate the outlet, the volute including a tongue composed of a piezoelectric material.

An implantable blood pump includes a housing defining an inlet and an outlet and a flow path therethrough. A rotor is disposed within the housing. A stator is disposed within the housing, the stator being configured to rotate the rotor when a current is applied to the stator. A volute is disposed distal to the rotor proximate the outlet, the volute including a tongue composed of a piezoelectric material.

Described herein are pumps that linearly reciprocate to assist with circulating blood within the body of a patient. Red blood cell damage may be avoided or minimized by such linear pump movement. The linearly reciprocating movement may also generate a pulsatile pumping cycle that mimics the natural pumping cycle of the heart. The pumps may be configured to reside at various body locations. For example, the pumps may be situated within the right ventricle, the left ventricle, the ascending aorta, the descending aorta, the thoracic aorta, or the abdominal aorta. In some instances, the pump may reside outside the patient.