A method, apparatus and computer system product for improving cardiac output from the heart is presented. A balloon is placed within a chamber of a heart wherein the balloon encloses a mechanical expansion device and air. During a first time epoch in which the heart chamber is volumetrically contracting (during emptying), a mechanical expansion device causes the balloon to increase in size, which improves ejection fraction. During a second time epoch in which the heart chamber is volumetrically expanding (during filling), the mechanical expansion device causes the balloon to decrease in size, which improves filling.

A blood pumping device is described having at least a first pump and a first pump actuator for inducing a blood flow in a body's circulatory system. The pump has one upper chamber having an inlet channel and one lower chamber having an outlet channel. The upper and lower chambers are separated by a movable valve plane provided with a one-way valve. The pump actuator induces movement of the valve plane in an upward and downward direction between the upper and lower chambers in response to control signals from a control unit. When the valve plane moves in an upward direction, the valve opens allowing a flow of blood from the upper to the lower chamber. The lower chamber is provided with a bag-like portion forcing said flow of blood to make a turn of between 110° to 150° before leaving through the outlet channel.

A blood pumping device is described having at least a first pump and a first pump actuator for inducing a blood flow in a body's circulatory system. The pump has one upper chamber having an inlet channel and one lower chamber having an outlet channel. The upper and lower chambers are separated by a movable valve plane provided with a one-way valve. The pump actuator induces movement of the valve plane in an upward and downward direction between the upper and lower chambers in response to control signals from a control unit. When the valve plane moves in an upward direction, the valve opens allowing a flow of blood from the upper to the lower chamber. The lower chamber is provided with a bag-like portion forcing said flow of blood to make a turn of between 110° to 150° before leaving through the outlet channel.

A positive displacement pump that triggers with the beating of a mammalian heart, through the monitoring of an ECG signal is disclosed. A programmable delay from the detection of the forthcoming contraction of the heart enables the pump to syncopate the ejection of the fluid with the events occurring in the cardiovascular system. This delayed ejection could be used to overlay the ejected fluid from the pump with a pressure wave in the artery of systemic circulation through a catheter connection between the pump and a physiological model (e.g., cow, dog, human). The outcome of this use could be to raise the pulse pressure in the system to take advantage of physiological pathways that respond to this transient change in blood pressure. The novelty of this system stems from the adaptable control architecture designed to augment the pulsatile characteristics of the cardiovascular system. This inventive concept could be expanded to encompass the augmentation (dampen or enhance) of pulsatile characteristics in any oscillating flow system.

Devices, systems and methods for controlling or preventing left and/or right ventricular overload with and without concurrent extracorporeal life support.

Provided is a blood purification apparatus configured to keep a blood pump from being driven until a puncture needle is removed. The blood purification apparatus includes a blood circuit which is coupled with a puncture needle punctured into a patient and through which blood from the patient flows; a blood pump that is provided to the blood circuit and delivers liquid in the blood circuit by being driven; a needle removal detector that detects removal of the puncture needle from the patient; and a controller that starts a blood return process to return the blood in the blood circuit to the patient and puts the blood pump in a non-active state in response to determination that the blood return process ends.

Provided is a blood purification apparatus configured to keep a blood pump from being driven until a puncture needle is removed. The blood purification apparatus includes a blood circuit which is coupled with a puncture needle punctured into a patient and through which blood from the patient flows; a blood pump that is provided to the blood circuit and delivers liquid in the blood circuit by being driven; a needle removal detector that detects removal of the puncture needle from the patient; and a controller that starts a blood return process to return the blood in the blood circuit to the patient and puts the blood pump in a non-active state in response to determination that the blood return process ends.

A manual clot aspiration and filtration system enables a method of removing a clot without general anesthesia and the expense of an operating room. An aspiration and filtration system for bodily fluid utilizes a syringe coupled with a filter unit to draw bodily fluid through the filter unit to collect debris on the filter. A flow valve may then be turned and the plunger depressed to force the filtered fluid back into the body. The filter may be configured to capture particles such as blood clots and plaque. The filter unit has a cover that can be removed for inspection and/or removal of the collected debris. When the cover is replaced, trapped air may be removed by turning the flow-valve to a purge direction and pressing the plunger into the syringe to force fluid back toward the filter unit to purge the trapped air through the purge valve.

An artificial chamber including a first conduit, a second conduit, a third conduit, and a wall defining a space; in which the first conduit and the second conduit are positioned opposite one another; in which the third conduit is opposite the wall; and in which the wall has a concave surface is disclosed. The chamber can be part of a system for providing pulmonary support. The system includes the chamber and a first pump connected to the third conduit, and connected to a fourth conduit; in which the chamber receives fluid via the first conduit and the second conduit, in which the first pump receives fluid from the chamber via the third conduit; and in which the fourth conduit transports fluid from the first pump to a first blood vessel. Methods of making a chamber and a system, and methods of using the chamber and system are also disclosed.

A device, a kit and a method are presented for permanently augmenting the pump function of the left heart. The basis for the presented innovation is an augmentation of the physiologically up and down movement of the mitral valve during each heart cycle. By means of catheter technique, minimal surgery, or open-heart surgery implants are inserted into the left ventricle, the mitral valve annulus, the left atrium and adjacent tissue in order to augment the natural up and down movement of the mitral valve and thereby increasing the left ventricular diastolic filling and the piston effect of the closed mitral valve when moving towards the apex of said heart in systole and/or away from said apex in diastole.