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 manufacturing an impeller by coupling a material to a helical elongate element, such that the helical elongate element with the material coupled thereto defines a blade of the impeller. A portion of a structure that includes the helical elongate element is dipped into the material while the material is in a liquid state. The material is dried, while the material is being supported by the at least one helical elongate element. During the drying of material, the structure is rotated about its longitudinal axis, such as to facilitate the formation of a film of the material having a substantially uniform thickness within the impeller blade. Other applications are also described.

Systems and methods are provided herein for estimating a position of a heart pump system in a patient. The system receives first data indicative of a time-varying motor current during a first time period. The motor current corresponds to an amount of current delivered to a motor, while the heart pump system is operating in the patient. The system receives second data indicative of a time-varying differential pressure during the first time period. The differential pressure is indicative of a position of the heart pump system relative to patient's heart. The system receives third data indicative of time-varying motor current during a second time period, and determines an estimate of differential pressure during the second period of time from the third data and a relationship between the first data and the second data. The estimate is usable to predict the position of the heart pump system in the patient.

Disclosed is an artificial heart and lung apparatus (100) that can be connected to a patient (P), and transfers removed blood to a human body via a roller pump (120), the system including: the roller pump (120); a blood removal line (101) which transfers removed blood to the roller pump (120); a first blood transfer line (104) that transfers blood, which is transferred from the roller pump (120), to the human body; a blood removal rate sensor (111) that is provided in the blood removal line (101); and a control unit (140), in which the control unit (140) performs control such that a blood transfer rate of the roller pump (120) is in a specific range with respect to a blood removal rate measured by a blood removal rate sensor (111).

An apparatus for starting operation of a motor of an implantable blood pump including a memory storing one or more default parameters for at least one of controlling and monitoring the startup operation. A processor operatively coupled to the motor is included, the processor is configured to: commence the startup operation based on the one or more default parameters; detect an error during the startup operation; adjust at least one of the one or more default parameters in response to the detected error; store the at least one adjusted parameter in the memory; and commence subsequent startup operations based at least in part on the at least one adjusted parameter.

The invention relates to an electronics module (102) for a ventricular assist device, wherein the ventricular assist device has a motor housing for accommodating a pump motor. The electronics module (102) comprises an electronics section (204) for accommodating at least one electronic component (206) and/or at least one electrically conductive contacting element (208), and a coupling section (202) designed as a joint between the motor housing (104) and the electronics section (204) or as a separate component to be joined, wherein the motor housing (104) and the electronics section (204) are combined or can be combined via the coupling section (202) with one another to form a fluid-tight module housing (104) to be arranged in a blood vessel.

An intravascular blood pump (100) comprises a tip (110), a first region (120) with at least one blood through-opening (121), a flow cannula (130), a second region (140) with at least one blood through-opening (141), a motor-operated pump mechanism (150) and a conducting cable (170). At least in the region of the flow cannula (130), at least one electrical conductor track is realized by a surface coating structure.

A catheter pump is provided that includes a rotatable impeller and an elongate cannula. The elongate cannula has a mesh that has a plurality of circumferential members disposed about the impeller. The elongate cannula has a plurality of axial connector extending between a proximal side of a distal circumferential member and a distal side of a proximal circumferential member. The circumferential members are radially self-expandable. The cannula is configured to minimize fracture within at least in the distal zone of the mesh as the elongated cannula moves into a sheathing device.

Apparatus and methods are described for use with a tributary vessel of a subject that supplies a vein of the subject. Blood within the tributary vessel is mechanically isolated into a compartment that is separated from blood within the vein. Blood flow from the tributary vessel to the vein is controlled by pumping blood from the compartment to the vein. Other applications are also described.

Connectors and related methods for fluidly coupling a blood pump with an aorta facilitate implantation of the blood pump. A method of fluidly coupling a blood pump with an aorta includes positioning a connector device defining a passageway extending between a proximal opening and a distal opening. The connector device includes a support member surrounding the distal opening. The support member is interfaced with a wall of the aorta so that the distal opening is at a desired location of an inlet opening in the aorta. The support member is attached to the aorta around the distal opening so as to form a fluid seal and stabilize the connector device. A slit is incised in the wall of the aorta to form the inlet opening in the aorta. A proximal opening of the tubular connector is fluidly coupled with an outflow graft tube of the blood pump.