Miniature axial flow pumps are implanted inside the heart or major arteries to provide hemodynamic support. These pumps commonly utilize tubular blood conduit tubes to transport blood across the aortic valve. The valve leaflets themselves are very thin and flexible, and will seal against the conduit if it is centered within the valve orifice. The present invention provides a conduit support device that retains the conduit centered within the annulus of the natural heart valve. A leaflet valve stent may be combined with a conduit support device comprised of a ring supported by posts attached to the valve stent ring. A blood pump may be attached to the center of a transvalvular support stent, for optimal fixation of the pump with relation to a trileaflet or bi-leaflet tissue or polymer valve.

Apparatus and methods are described for use with a venous system of a subject that includes one or more tributary vessels that flow into a vein at junctions. A blood-pump-catheter (70) includes a material (36) configured to be placed at a downstream location that is downstream of the junctions and to at least partially occlude blood flow through the vein. The material defines a blood-outlet opening (31). A blood pump (24) pumps blood from a region of the vein that is adjacent to the junctions, and through the blood-outlet opening (31). A blood-flow pathway (60) directs upstream venous blood flow from an upstream location that is upstream of the junctions, to downstream of the material (36), without the upstream venous blood flow being pumped by the pump (24). Other applications are also described.

A method and device to assist the performance of a heart with at least one pump that is formed as a rotary pump and driven via magneto coupling. The pump includes a magnetically driven rotor rotatable within a surrounding rotor housing to act upon blood flowing from an inflow tube toward the magnetically driven rotor, and a second magnetic device axially aligned with the inflow tube and positioned to magnetically drive rotation of the magnetically driven rotor via the magneto coupling.

A method and device to assist the performance of a heart with at least one pump that is formed as a rotary pump and driven via magneto coupling. The pump includes a magnetically driven rotor rotatable within a surrounding rotor housing to act upon blood flowing from an inflow tube toward the magnetically driven rotor, and a second magnetic device axially aligned with the inflow tube and positioned to magnetically drive rotation of the magnetically driven rotor via the magneto coupling.

A device to assist the performance of a heart with at least one pump that is formed as a rotary pump and driven via a magneto coupling.

A device to assist the performance of a heart with at least one pump that is formed as a rotary pump and driven via a magneto coupling.

A device to assist the performance of a heart with at least one pump that is formed as a rotary pump and driven via a magneto coupling.

In a catheter (2) to assist the performance of a heart (1) with at least one pump (7), the pump is formed as a rotary pump at the distal end of the catheter (2), the rotor (6) lying distally on the outer side being coupled via a magneto coupling with a drive wheel (21), formed as a hydraulically or pneumatically operated paddle wheel, arranged inside the catheter (2). The driving fluid is supplied to the paddle wheel via a lumen (22) of the catheter (2) and is carried off via a further lumen (23) of the catheter.

Apparatus and methods are described including an impeller that includes an impeller frame that comprises proximal and distal end portions and at least one helical elongate element that winds from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion. A film of material is coupled to the at least one helical elongate element, such that the helical elongate element with the film of material coupled thereto defines a blade of the impeller. The film of material is shaped to define a hollow central lumen therethrough. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described including an impeller that includes an impeller frame that comprises proximal and distal end portions and at least one helical elongate element that winds from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion. A film of material is coupled to the at least one helical elongate element, such that the helical elongate element with the film of material coupled thereto defines a blade of the impeller. The film of material is shaped to define a hollow central lumen therethrough. Other applications are also described.