Provided is a left ventricular assist system that includes at least: a blood pump; and a controller that controls the rotation of a rotary body of the blood pump. The controller controls the blood pump such that a rotational speed of the rotary body is periodically switched between a first rotational speed and a second rotational speed that is larger than the first rotational speed with a transition time required for switching the rotational speed set to substantially 0 (zero). Periodic switching of the rotational speed of the rotary body is asynchronous with a cardiac cycle of a user, and the rotary body rotates substantially only at rotational speeds of two values consisting of the first rotational speed and the second rotational speed.

An implantable pump system is provided, suitable for use as a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) system, having an implantable pump, 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 actuator assembly that is magnetically engagable with electromagnetic coils, so that when the electromagnetic coils are energized, the actuator assembly causes wavelike undulations to propagate along the flexible membrane to propel blood from 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.

An implantable pump system is provided, suitable for use as a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) system, having an implantable pump, 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 actuator assembly that is magnetically engagable with electromagnetic coils, so that when the electromagnetic coils are energized, the actuator assembly causes wavelike undulations to propagate along the flexible membrane to propel blood from 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.

A method of placing a cardiac drainage cannula into a patient's heart is provided. The method may comprise the steps of (a) inserting the cannula percutaneously into an internal jugular vein, (b) advancing the cannula through the internal jugular vein and into the right atrium of the heart, and (c) advancing the cannula through the atrial septum into the left atrium of the heart. A method of draining blood from the left atrium or left ventricle of a patient's heart using a cardiac drainage cannula is provided. A cardiac drainage cannula and a mechanical circulatory support system are also provided.

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 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.

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.

The present invention generally relates to heart treatment systems. In some aspects, methods and systems are provided for facilitating communication between implanted devices. For example, an implantable cardiac rhythm management device may be configured to communicate with an implantable blood pump. The implantable cardiac rhythm management device may deliver heart stimulation rate information in addition to information associated with any detected abnormalities in heart function. In response, the pump may be configured to adjust pumping by the pump to better accommodate a patient's particular needs.

A method, apparatus and computer system product for improving cardiac output from the heart is presented. A balloon is placed within a chamber of a heart wherein the balloon encloses a mechanical expansion device and air. During a first time epoch in which the heart chamber is volumetrically contracting (during emptying), a mechanical expansion device causes the balloon to increase in size, which improves ejection fraction. During a second time epoch in which the heart chamber is volumetrically expanding (during filling), the mechanical expansion device causes the balloon to decrease in size, which improves filling.

A system to optimize the operation of counter pulsatile cardiac assist devices includes a collection of intracorporeal and extracorporeal physiologic sensors that generate data. A control system in electrical communication with the collection of intracorporeal and extracorporeal physiologic sensors generates control signals for the counter pulsatile cardiac assist device based on a counter pulsating aortic pumping element based on the data. A low power transmitter is in electrical communication with the collection of sensors and the control system and sends the generated data and the control signals to an external computer for aggregation and analysis. The analysis is based on a set of inputs from an implanted counter pulsatile cardiac assist devices.