A control device for a ventricular assist device (VAD) with settable speed levels. The control device includes an input configured to receive at least one measuring signal related to a physiological condition of the circulatory system of a patient receiving heart assistance by the VAD, where the control device is configured to derive an actual value of at least one characteristic parameter of the heart from one or more of the at least one measuring signal and to provide a refined actual value of the at least one characteristic parameter in which effects of physiologically caused fluctuations are eliminated or reduced. The control device further includes an output configured to output an updated setting value for the speed level, where the control device is configured to produce the updated setting value based on the refined actual value and a predeterminable set-point value.

A fluid pump for conveying a fluid is provided comprising: a housing with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a rotor which is disposed rotatably about an axis of rotation in the housing, and a rotor body and at least one conveying element connected rigidly to the rotor body in order to convey the fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, the rotor being mounted in the housing radially to the axis of rotation by means of a passive magnetic bearing and also axially and radially by means of a mechanical and/or hydrodynamic bearing disposed on the inlet side or outlet side. A safety bearing is disposed on one side of the rotor situated opposite the mechanical and/or hydrodynamic bearing, wherein the safety bearing has a first safety bearing component connected rigidly to the rotor and a second safety bearing component connected rigidly to the housing.

A fluid pump for conveying a fluid is provided comprising: a housing with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a rotor which is disposed rotatably about an axis of rotation in the housing, and a rotor body and at least one conveying element connected rigidly to the rotor body in order to convey the fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, the rotor being mounted in the housing radially to the axis of rotation by means of a passive magnetic bearing and also axially and radially by means of a mechanical and/or hydrodynamic bearing disposed on the inlet side or outlet side. A safety bearing is disposed on one side of the rotor situated opposite the mechanical and/or hydrodynamic bearing, wherein the safety bearing has a first safety bearing component connected rigidly to the rotor and a second safety bearing component connected rigidly to the housing.

Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed towards apparatuses, systems, and methods that may include a blood pump. The blood pump may include a magnetic field source and an impeller assembly. The impeller assembly includes an impeller and a driven magnet. The driven magnet is longitudinally offset and distally disposed relative to the magnetic field source, and the driven magnet is rotatable and longitudinally controlled by the magnetic field source. The driven magnet includes a distal side, the distal side faces the impeller. The blood pump further includes a bearing assembly near the distal side of the driven magnet.

A rotor bearing system includes an inner bearing component and an outer bearing component. One of the bearing components includes at least three protrusions sized to form a close running proximity to the remaining component. A bearing gap between the inner bearing component and the outer bearing component is sized to exclude the entry of red blood cells between the bearing components during operation of the rotor bearing system and causing the bearing to operate in an elasto-hydrodynamic regime of mixed- or boundary-lubrication.

A blood flow assist system can include an impeller assembly including an impeller shaft and an impeller on the impeller shaft, a primary flow pathway disposed along an exterior surface of the impeller. The system can include a rotor assembly at a proximal portion of the impeller shaft. A secondary flow pathway can be disposed along a lumen of the impeller shaft. During operation of the blood flow assist system, blood can be pumped proximally along the primary flow pathway and the secondary flow pathway. The system can include a sleeve bearing distal the impeller. The system can include a drive unit having a distal end disposed distal a proximal end of the second impeller. The drive unit comprising a drive magnet and a drive bearing between the drive magnet and the impeller assembly.

A blood flow assist system can include an impeller assembly including an impeller shaft and an impeller on the impeller shaft, a primary flow pathway disposed along an exterior surface of the impeller. The system can include a rotor assembly at a proximal portion of the impeller shaft. A secondary flow pathway can be disposed along a lumen of the impeller shaft. During operation of the blood flow assist system, blood can be pumped proximally along the primary flow pathway and the secondary flow pathway. The system can include a sleeve bearing distal the impeller. The system can include a drive unit having a distal end disposed distal a proximal end of the second impeller. The drive unit comprising a drive magnet and a drive bearing between the drive magnet and the impeller assembly.

A blood pump comprises a pump casing having a blood flow inlet and a blood flow outlet connected by a passage, and an impeller rotatable about an axis of rotation. A surface of the impeller faces a surface of the pump casing spaced from said surface of the impeller by a clearance, the clearance being in fluid connection with the passage at a clearance transition point. At least one wash out channel extends through the impeller and is in fluid connection with the passage via a first opening and with the clearance via a second opening. The first opening of the wash out channel is arranged in an area of the impeller that is under a higher pressure than the clearance transition point so as to cause a blood flow from the first opening through the wash out channel and the clearance to the clearance transition point.

A control device for a ventricular assist device (VAD) with settable speed levels. The control device includes an input configured to receive at least one measuring signal related to a physiological condition of the circulatory system of a patient receiving heart assistance by the VAD, where the control device is configured to derive an actual value of at least one characteristic parameter of the heart from one or more of the at least one measuring signal and to provide a refined actual value of the at least one characteristic parameter in which effects of physiologically caused fluctuations are eliminated or reduced. The control device further includes an output configured to output an updated setting value for the speed level, where the control device is configured to produce the updated setting value based on the refined actual value and a predeterminable set-point value.

A blood flow assist system can include an impeller assembly including an impeller shaft and an impeller on the impeller shaft, a primary flow pathway disposed along an exterior surface of the impeller. The system can include a rotor assembly at a proximal portion of the impeller shaft. A secondary flow pathway can be disposed along a lumen of the impeller shaft. During operation of the blood flow assist system, blood can be pumped proximally along the primary flow pathway and the secondary flow pathway. The system can include a sleeve bearing distal the impeller. The system can include a drive unit having a distal end disposed distal a proximal end of the second impeller. The drive unit comprising a drive magnet and a drive bearing between the drive magnet and the impeller assembly.