A method of responding to an adverse event associated with an implantable blood pump including detecting the adverse event, reducing a pump speed of the blood pump relative to a set pump speed in response to the detected adverse event, and determining whether at least one of a group consisting of the adverse event and a second adverse event is present following the reducing of the pump speed of the blood pump. If the at least one of the group consisting of the adverse event and a second adverse event is not present, the method includes increasing the pump speed to the set pump speed and if the at least one of the group consisting of the adverse event and a second adverse event is present while increasing the pump speed to the set pump speed, the method includes reducing the pump speed to a maximum safe operating speed.

A method of responding to an adverse event associated with an implantable blood pump including detecting the adverse event, reducing a pump speed of the blood pump relative to a set pump speed in response to the detected adverse event, and determining whether at least one of a group consisting of the adverse event and a second adverse event is present following the reducing of the pump speed of the blood pump. If the at least one of the group consisting of the adverse event and a second adverse event is not present, the method includes increasing the pump speed to the set pump speed and if the at least one of the group consisting of the adverse event and a second adverse event is present while increasing the pump speed to the set pump speed, the method includes reducing the pump speed to a maximum safe operating speed.

A control device for a heart pump, comprising a device for establishing the end-diastolic filling pressure in a ventricle and a device for associating a delivery rate of the pump, in particular a pump speed or an electric pump capacity, with the established end-diastolic filling pressure. By taking into account the end-diastolic filling pressure, a robust operating option of the heart pump, similar to the physio-logical control, is created.

A control device for a heart pump, comprising a device for establishing the end-diastolic filling pressure in a ventricle and a device for associating a delivery rate of the pump, in particular a pump speed or an electric pump capacity, with the established end-diastolic filling pressure. By taking into account the end-diastolic filling pressure, a robust operating option of the heart pump, similar to the physio-logical control, is created.

A heart pump assembly includes an elongate catheter with a proximal portion and a distal portion, a rotor at the distal portion of the elongate catheter, a driveshaft, and a bearing. The rotor can include an impeller blade shaped to induce fluid flow in a first axial direction. The drive shaft may be coupled to or integrally formed with a proximal end of the rotor and can include a pump element formed in a surface of the drive shaft. The bearing can include a bore into which the drive shaft extends. The pump element is shaped so as to induce fluid flow through the bore in a second axial direction which can be the same or opposite to the first axial direction.

A heart pump assembly includes an elongate catheter with a proximal portion and a distal portion, a rotor at the distal portion of the elongate catheter, a driveshaft, and a bearing. The rotor can include an impeller blade shaped to induce fluid flow in a first axial direction. The drive shaft may be coupled to or integrally formed with a proximal end of the rotor and can include a pump element formed in a surface of the drive shaft. The bearing can include a bore into which the drive shaft extends. The pump element is shaped so as to induce fluid flow through the bore in a second axial direction which can be the same or opposite to the first axial direction.

The invention relates to a container (1, 1′, 1″) for a heart pump device (4, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 26) with a first receiving space (3) for a compressible and expandable heart pump (4), wherein the first receiving space is delimited on several sides, in particular on all sides, by one or more closure elements (5, 5′, 6, 6′ 6″) and is closed off to the outside for preventing a contacting of the heart pump, wherein the closure elements (5, 5′, 6, 6′ 6″) leave free an opening (7) for the passage of a catheter (8) from the outside into the first receiving space (3), wherein the diameter of the opening (7) is dimensioned such that the heart pump can pass this exclusively in a condition which is at least partly compressed compared to the expanded condition. For implantation, the heart pump in the container (1, 1′, 1″) can firstly be operated by trial in the container (1, 1′, 1″) whilst feeding a rinsing fluid and can then be pulled through the opening (7) amid simultaneous compression, into a sheath element (11).

Systems and devices for an updatable blood pump are disclosed herein. The blood pump can be part of a mechanical circulatory support system that can include a system controller and the blood pump. The blood pump can include a rotary motor and a control unit that can communicate with the system controller. The system controller can initiate the update process and can provide the update to the blood pump. Upon initiation of the update process, the control unit can stop the rotary motor. While the rotary motor is stopped, the blood pump can be updated. At the completion of the update, the rotary pump can be restarted.

Apparatus and methods are described, including apparatus (20) for implanting in a heart of a human subject. The apparatus includes an interatrial anchor (22) shaped to define an opening (26) having a diameter of 4-8 mm, and a bag (24) in fluid communication with the opening of the anchor. The apparatus is shaped to fit within a right atrium of the heart of the subject, and has a capacity of between 4 and 20 cm3. Other applications are also described.

A signal processing circuit for controlling operation of an implanted ventricular assist device comprising an input module for receiving one or more signals of a patient from one or more sensors. A processor for processing the received signals is included, the processor configured to compare a total blood output on a left side of the patient's heart with a total blood output on a right side of the patient's heart; determine at least one from the group consisting of the presence of fluid imbalance between the left and right sides of the patient's heart and the absence of fluid imbalance between the left and right sides of the patient's heart based on the comparison; and when the presence of fluid imbalance is determined, control the implanted ventricular device to restore fluid balance between the left and right sides of the patient's heart.