The invention relates to a circulatory assistance system comprising: a rotor in the shape of a Reuleaux triangle; and a camshaft received in a housing of the rotor and designed to rotate the rotor about an axis of rotation. The inner walls of the housing of the rotor are in contact at all points with the outer surface of the cam such that the assembly formed by the cam and the rotor does not have a clearance volume.

An improved valve leak detection system. The improved valve leak detection system comprises a membrane pump defining a flow path arranged to be opened and closed by at least one valve, a measuring device; a comparator; and a signal generator. The measuring device is configured to determine a conductivity value between two points on the flow path of the membrane pump, one point arranged upstream of the at least one valve and the other point arranged downstream of the at least one valve. The measuring device measures the conductivity value when the at least one valve is closed. The comparator is configured to continuously monitor the conductivity value. The signal generator is arranged to provide an output signal when the conductivity value is indicative of a valve leak condition for a set number of measurements within a set period of time.

A blood pump is disclosed. The blood pump apparatus is arranged to provide pulsatile flow, and comprises a flexible inner cylindrical duct providing a blood flow region, and an outer cylindrical duct arranged to surround the inner cylindrical duct and arranged to accommodate a pumping fluid. In the pump the inner cylindrical duct is described as comprising a blood inlet for receiving blood into the region, a blood outlet for passing blood out from the blood flow region and a passageway therebetween. There is also described the feature of the inner duct comprising a non return valve at the blood inlet and a non return valve at the blood outlet, the outer cylindrical duct having a fluid port for a pumping fluid, and a pump device arranged to cyclically deliver and withdraw pumping fluid to the fluid port thereby cyclically compressing and expanding the flexible inner cylindrical duct urging blood through the blood flow region and delivering a pulsating blood flow through the blood outlet.

A ventricular assist device includes a stent for placement within a cardiac artery and arranged for placement, the stent arranged to have an open configuration defining a flow path, a rotor sized to fit within the stent and arranged for percutaneous placement the flow path, the rotor including a surface disposed about a central portion and angled with respect to the flow path and having a first plurality of magnets. A collar is sized for placement about the cardiac artery and includes a stator. A power source is coupled to the stator, and the stator and the rotor are arranged to rotate the rotor about an axis. A timing control module controls a rotational speed of the rotor. Accordingly, the surface of the rotor is arranged to move blood along the flow path in response to rotation of the rotor.

A system for detecting a suction condition in an implantable blood pump including a controller in communication with the blood pump. The controller includes a control circuit configured to calculate a present value during a time period, the present value corresponding to a pump speed divided by a pump current, determine a plurality of data values during the time period based on the present value, and determine a suction detection threshold value using the plurality of data values. The control circuit is also configured to compare the present value during the time period to the suction detection threshold value and generate an alert when the present value exceeds the suction detection threshold value on a plurality of instances during the time period, the alert corresponding to a suction condition.

A ventricular assist device includes a stent for placement within a cardiac artery and arranged for placement, the stent arranged to have an open configuration defining a flow path, a rotor sized to fit within the stent and arranged for percutaneous placement the flow path, the rotor including a surface disposed about a central portion and angled with respect to the flow path and having a first plurality of magnets. A collar is sized for placement about the cardiac artery and includes a stator. A power source is coupled to the stator, and the stator and the rotor are arranged to rotate the rotor about an axis. A timing control module controls a rotational speed of the rotor. Accordingly, the surface of the rotor is arranged to move blood along the flow path in response to rotation of the rotor.

A model of flow through a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) can be used for preoperative planning of implantation of the LVAD into a patient and/or optimization of the LVAD after implantation into the patient are described. At least one imaging data set related to a patient and at least one physiological data set related to the patient can be received. An ideal parameter related to the LVAD can be determined based on the at least one imaging data set related to the patient, the at least one physiological data set related to the patient using a model of circulation in a large spatial region of the patient's body and a three-dimensional anatomical model of at least one component of the region of the patient's body and at least one component of the LVAD. Flow patterns within the three-dimensional anatomical model are calculated using computational fluid dynamics.

A model of flow through a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) can be used for preoperative planning of implantation of the LVAD into a patient and/or optimization of the LVAD after implantation into the patient are described. At least one imaging data set related to a patient and at least one physiological data set related to the patient can be received. An ideal parameter related to the LVAD can be determined based on the at least one imaging data set related to the patient, the at least one physiological data set related to the patient using a model of circulation in a large spatial region of the patient's body and a three-dimensional anatomical model of at least one component of the region of the patient's body and at least one component of the LVAD. Flow patterns within the three-dimensional anatomical model are calculated using computational fluid dynamics.

Methods and apparatuses for determining operational parameters of a blood pump comprising a rotor which transports the blood are provided. The change in the behaviour of at least one first and one second operational parameter, independently from each other, of the pump, is determined. A determination of the flow through the pump and/or the difference in pressure across the pump and/or the viscosity of the blood takes into account the determined change in behaviour of the at least two operational parameters. A modelling for a dynamic model of the known quantities may be carried out and an estimation method using a Kalman filter may be used.

Methods and apparatuses for determining operational parameters of a blood pump comprising a rotor which transports the blood are provided. The change in the behaviour of at least one first and one second operational parameter, independently from each other, of the pump, is determined. A determination of the flow through the pump and/or the difference in pressure across the pump and/or the viscosity of the blood takes into account the determined change in behaviour of the at least two operational parameters. A modelling for a dynamic model of the known quantities may be carried out and an estimation method using a Kalman filter may be used.