Materials and methods related to blood pump systems are described. These can be used in patients to, for example, monitor arterial pressure, measure blood flow, maintain left ventricular pressure within a particular range, avoid left ventricular collapse, prevent fusion of the aortic valve in a subject having a blood pump, and provide a means to wean a patient from a blood pump.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are disclosed for optimizing management of one or more implanted artificial heart pumps. An example method includes wirelessly retrieving, via one or more portable diagnostic devices, data regarding the one or more implanted artificial heart pumps. The example method further includes analyzing, by a server device, performance characteristics of the one or more implanted artificial heart pumps based on the retrieved data. The example method further includes causing rendering of the performance characteristics. Corresponding apparatuses and computer program products are contemplated.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are disclosed for optimizing management of one or more implanted artificial heart pumps. An example method includes wirelessly retrieving, via one or more portable diagnostic devices, data regarding the one or more implanted artificial heart pumps. The example method further includes analyzing, by a server device, performance characteristics of the one or more implanted artificial heart pumps based on the retrieved data. The example method further includes causing rendering of the performance characteristics. Corresponding apparatuses and computer program products are contemplated.

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.

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.

Apparatus and methods are described including a left-ventricular assist device including an impeller and a frame disposed around the impeller. A pump-outlet tube traverses the subject's aortic valve with a distal portion of the pump-outlet tube disposed within the subject's left ventricle. The distal portion of the pump-outlet tube extends to a distal end of the frame and defines more than 10 blood-inlet openings that are sized such as (a) to allow blood to flow from the subject's left ventricle into the tube and (b) to block structures from the subject's left ventricle from entering into the frame. The porosity of the distal portion of the pump-outlet tube is lower within a proximal region of the distal portion of the pump-outlet tube than within a distal region of the distal portion of the pump-outlet tube that is distal to the proximal region. Other applications are also described.

A rotor for a pump has a housing and a rotor, and has at least one blade. The rotor is able to be actuated to rotate about an axis of rotation in order to convey a fluid in the axial or radial direction, and the rotor is able to be deformed in the radial direction between a first, radially compressed state and a second, radially expanded state. At a maximum speed of rotation of the rotor at which the power of the pump is at a maximum, the blade is essentially radially oriented, and/or the rotor has its maximum diameter.

A percutaneous trans-valvular blood pump system including a pump subsystem, catheter, and sheath is described. The pump subsystem includes a plurality of impeller pump assemblies arranged in tandem within a cannula portion of the catheter. The impeller pump assemblies are configured to operate in parallel so that blood pumped through one pump does not enter another pump.

A percutaneous trans-valvular blood pump system including a pump subsystem, catheter, and sheath is described. The pump subsystem includes a plurality of impeller pump assemblies arranged in tandem within a cannula portion of the catheter. The impeller pump assemblies are configured to operate in parallel so that blood pumped through one pump does not enter another pump.

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.