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 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.

The invention relates to an axial flow pump (102) for a ventricular assist device. The axial flow pump (102) comprises a pump housing (104) for arranging in a blood vessel and a pump rotor (108), which is or can be mounted in the pump housing (104) for rotation about an axis of rotation and which consists of a hub (200) and at least one blade element (110) which is helically wound around the hub (200), at least in portions, and is provided for conveying, in the direction of the axis of rotation (302), a medium to be conveyed. In order to increase the pump efficiency, the blade element (110) has at least one blade section (202) having an undulating blade curvature.

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.

Devices for moving blood within a patient, and methods of doing so. The devices can include a pump portion that includes an impeller and a housing around the impeller, as well as a fluid lumen. The impeller can be activated to cause rotation of the impeller and thereby move fluid within the fluid lumen.

Devices for moving blood within a patient, and methods of doing so. The devices can include a pump portion that includes an impeller and a housing around the impeller, as well as a fluid lumen. The impeller can be activated to cause rotation of the impeller and thereby move fluid within the fluid lumen.

A blood pump (1) comprises a pump casing (2) having a blood flow inlet (5) and a blood flow outlet (6) connected by a passage (7), and an impeller (3) arranged in said pump casing (2) so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation (9). The impeller (2) is provided with blades (4) sized and shaped for conveying blood along the passage (7) from the blood flow inlet (5) to the blood flow outlet (6), the impeller (3) being rotatably supported in the pump casing (2) by at least one bearing (10, 20). A surface of the impeller (3) faces a surface of the pump casing (2) spaced from said surface of the impeller (3) by a clearance (31), the clearance (31) being in fluid connection with the passage (7) at a clearance transition point (36). In order to wash out the clearance, at least one wash out channel (30) extends through the impeller (3) and is in fluid connection with the passage (7) via a first opening (34) and with the clearance (31) via a second opening (35). The first opening (34) of the wash out channel (30) is arranged in an area of the impeller (3) that—during operation of the blood pump (1)—is under a higher pressure than the clearance transition point (36) so as to cause a blood flow from the first opening (34) through the wash out channel (30) and the clearance (31) to the clearance transition point (36).

The invention relates to a line device (105) for conducting a blood flow for a heart support system. The line device (105) has a main part (205), and the main part (205) has a first attachment section (210) at a first end for attaching the line device (105) to a head unit of the heart support system and a second attachment section (215) at a second end for attaching the line device (105) to an outlet unit of the heart support system (100). The attachment sections (210, 215) are shaped so as to be connectable in a form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner. The main part (205) has a structured section (220) with at least one stiffening recess (225) between the attachment sections (210, 215), the at least one stiffening recess (225) being shaped so as to change the stiffness of the main part (205).

The present invention relates to a percutaneous blood pump (1) and an introducer system to be placed in the circulatory system of a patient e.g. using the Seldinger technique without the need of surgical access. The percutaneous blood pump (1) comprises a pump housing (11) inside which a radially pumping impeller (12) is arranged for rotation by means of a rotating flexible cable housed inside a protective flexible catheter (15) and attached to a bearing housing (21) in which a set of radial and axial bearings are housed and arranged for rotation by means of a flexible cable housed inside another protective flexible catheter (25) and driven by an electric motor (30) in a motor housing (31). In addition, an introducer system, comprising an expandable introducer is provided, arranged to facilitate easy and safe introduction of the percutaneous blood pump. The introducer system may comprise a hemostatic valve to limit blood loss during insertion and percutaneous blood pump use. More particularly, the present invention relates to a per-cutaneous blood pump that can be large enough to deliver full circulatory support and is easily and safely introduced into the circulatory system by means of an expandable introducer. The introducer system may include a closure device that is configured to close the incision site after removal of the blood pump and introducer.