A blood pump is described that includes an impeller having proximal and distal bushings, at least one helical elongate element, a spring that is disposed inside of the helical elongate element and along an axis around which the helical elongate element winds, and a film of material supported between the helical elongate element and the spring. A frame is disposed around the impeller. A flexible elongate element extends radially from the spring to the helical elongate element, and maintains the helical elongate element within a given distance from the spring, to thereby maintain a gap between an outer edge of a blade of the impeller and an inner surface of the frame, during rotation of the impeller. Other applications are also described.

A blood pump is described that includes an impeller having proximal and distal bushings, at least one helical elongate element, a spring that is disposed inside of the helical elongate element and along an axis around which the helical elongate element winds, and a film of material supported between the helical elongate element and the spring. A frame is disposed around the impeller. A flexible elongate element extends radially from the spring to the helical elongate element, and maintains the helical elongate element within a given distance from the spring, to thereby maintain a gap between an outer edge of a blade of the impeller and an inner surface of the frame, during rotation of the impeller. Other applications are also described.

A blood pump includes an impeller; a drive shaft coupled to the impeller and configured to rotate with the impeller; a motor configured to drive the impeller; and a bearing assembly disposed adjacent the motor and configured to receive an end of the drive shaft. The bearing assembly includes a bearing, where the end of the drive shaft is at least partially rounded, and the where the bearing includes a concave depression defined in a first side of the bearing, where the depression is configured to receive the end of the drive shaft. The bearing assembly may include a lubricant chamber configured to hold a lubricant.

A blood pump includes an impeller; a drive shaft coupled to the impeller and configured to rotate with the impeller; a motor configured to drive the impeller; and a bearing assembly disposed adjacent the motor and configured to receive an end of the drive shaft. The bearing assembly includes a bearing, where the end of the drive shaft is at least partially rounded, and the where the bearing includes a concave depression defined in a first side of the bearing, where the depression is configured to receive the end of the drive shaft. The bearing assembly may include a lubricant chamber configured to hold a lubricant.

An intravascular blood pump having a rotatable shaft carrying an impeller and a housing with an opening through which the shaft extends with the impeller positioned outside the housing. The shaft and the housing have surfaces forming a circumferential gap which converges towards the impeller-side end of the gap and which has a minimum gap width of preferably no more than 5 μm, more preferably no more than 2 μm.

An intravascular blood pump having a rotatable shaft carrying an impeller and a housing with an opening through which the shaft extends with the impeller positioned outside the housing. The shaft and the housing have surfaces forming a circumferential gap which converges towards the impeller-side end of the gap and which has a minimum gap width of preferably no more than 5 μm, more preferably no more than 2 μm.

A heart pump includes a cannula having a sidewall defining a longitudinal blood flow passage and a plurality of outlets extending through the sidewall. A rotatable impeller hub includes at least one impeller blade, wherein the at least one impeller blade is shaped to convey blood through the blood flow passage toward the plurality of outlets when the impeller hub is rotated at an operational speed. A diffuser defines an outer, flow directing surface having a geometry that is configured to control at least one property of the conveyed blood prior to flowing through the plurality of outlets.

Intravascular blood pumps systems and methods of use. The blood pump system includes a catheter portion having a distal blood pump with one or more distal collapsible impellers. The system can include a clean purge fluid pathway to carry clean fluid distally to the blood pump and a purge fluid return pathway to carry return fluid proximally into an external motor and out a proximal end of the motor, and optionally to a waste reservoir.

Intravascular blood pumps systems and methods of use. The blood pump system includes a catheter portion having a distal blood pump with one or more distal collapsible impellers. The system can include a clean purge fluid pathway to carry clean fluid distally to the blood pump and a purge fluid return pathway to carry return fluid proximally into an external motor and out a proximal end of the motor, and optionally to a waste reservoir.

An intravascular blood pump (1) comprises a pumping device and a catheter (5). The pumping device comprises a drive shaft (12), a rotor (10) located at a distal end of the drive shaft (5), a housing (11), in which the rotor (10) is housed, and a distal bearing (14) for rotatably supporting a distal end of the rotor (10). The distal bearing (14) comprises a static support member (18), which protrudes into or up against the distal end of the rotor (10). The rotor (10) and housing (11) may be expandable, and the pin (19) may have a sufficient length to prevent disengagement of the pin (19) from the distal end of the rotor (10) when the rotor (10) and the housing (11) are in a collapsed state.