A method is provided for the real time calibration of a pump that is part of a reusable hardware component having a programmable controller during a blood separation procedure where fluid is flowed through a tubing in a tubing set by action of the pump. The method comprises programming the controller with a continuous function defining a relationship between pump inlet pressure and pump stroke volume; commencing the fluid processing procedure to operate the pump to draw fluid through the tubing; measuring fluid pressure in the tubing at the inlet of the pump; calculating a current pump stroke volume with the controller based on the continuous function and the pump rotational rate; and adjusting the pump rotational rate utilized by the controller to control the procedure to achieve a target fluid flow rate. The continuous function defining the relationship between pump inlet pressure and the pump stroke volume may be empirically determined over a predetermined range of inlet pressures.

Apparatus comprising and methods are described including a blood pump that includes an axial shaft, and an impeller disposed on the axial shaft. The impeller is configured to pump blood of the subject by rotating. The impeller and the axial shaft are configured to undergo axial back-and-forth motion during operation of the impeller. A distal tip element is disposed at a distal end of the blood pump. The distal tip element defines an axial-shaft-receiving tube, configured to receive at least a portion of the axial shaft during forward motion of the axial shaft. The distal tip element additionally defines an atraumatic distal tip portion disposed distally of the axial-shaft-receiving tube. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus comprising and methods are described including a blood pump that includes an axial shaft, and an impeller disposed on the axial shaft. The impeller is configured to pump blood of the subject by rotating. The impeller and the axial shaft are configured to undergo axial back-and-forth motion during operation of the impeller. A distal tip element is disposed at a distal end of the blood pump. The distal tip element defines an axial-shaft-receiving tube, configured to receive at least a portion of the axial shaft during forward motion of the axial shaft. The distal tip element additionally defines an atraumatic distal tip portion disposed distally of the axial-shaft-receiving tube. Other applications are also described.

A flushing system for a catheter, in particular for a catheter of a catheter pump, comprising a supply line having a pump section, a discharge line having a pump section and a pump, wherein the diameter of the pump section of the discharge line is smaller than the diameter of the pump section of the supply conduit, the pump interacts with the pump section of the supply line for supplying flushing fluid to the catheter, and the pump interacts with the pump section of the discharge line for discharging flushing fluid from the catheter.

A flushing system for a catheter, in particular for a catheter of a catheter pump, comprising a supply line having a pump section, a discharge line having a pump section and a pump, wherein the diameter of the pump section of the discharge line is smaller than the diameter of the pump section of the supply conduit, the pump interacts with the pump section of the supply line for supplying flushing fluid to the catheter, and the pump interacts with the pump section of the discharge line for discharging flushing fluid from the catheter.

The invention relates to a controller unit (100) and method for controlling a cardiac prosthesis (200). The prosthesis comprising: at least one pump portion (202, 203, 602, 702); an inlet (210, 610, 710) connected to said at least one pump portion; an outlet (213, 613, 713) connected to said at least one pump portion; a pressure sensor (231; 232) configured to measure pressure of a fluid flowing from the inlet to the outlet; a pump actuator (221, 222) configured to induce the flow of the fluid flow. The controller unit further comprises a memory and a processing unit, wherein the controller unit is configured to: obtain a pressure value from the pressure sensor, obtain a desired value for the pressure of the fluid flowing into the pump, calculate an error signal equal to the difference of desired value for the pressure and the measured pressure, and control the output of the pump such that the measured pressure is near or equal to the desired pressure, by controlling a pump stroke rate and/or a pump stroke volume.

The present invention provides an intravascular right ventricular assist device, i.e., the cavo-arterial pump (CAP). Two prototypes of the CAP were developed, including a direct drive CAP and a magnetic drive CAP, demonstrating the feasibility of providing adequate pulmonary support and the feasibility of using axial magnetic couplings for contactless torque transmission from the motor shaft to the pump impeller. The magnetic drive CAP was able to operate up to 18.5 kRPM and produce a maximum flow rate of 1.35 L/min and a maximum pressure head of 40 mm Hg.

Intravascular blood pump systems that include a catheter assembly and an external console assembly. The catheter assembly may be in one or more of fluidic or electrical communication. The catheter assembly may include a controller with an executable method stored therein, wherein the executable method may be configured to receive sensed information that is indicative of a sensed characteristic of fluid in a fluid pathway, at least a portion of the fluid pathway disposed within the catheter assembly, and cause an alert if any of the sensed information is indicative that the external console assembly is not functioning properly.

Intravascular blood pump systems that include a catheter assembly and an external console assembly. The catheter assembly may be in one or more of fluidic or electrical communication. The catheter assembly may include a controller with an executable method stored therein, wherein the executable method may be configured to receive sensed information that is indicative of a sensed characteristic of fluid in a fluid pathway, at least a portion of the fluid pathway disposed within the catheter assembly, and cause an alert if any of the sensed information is indicative that the external console assembly is not functioning properly.

In a method, system and device a member is provided around an aneurysm enabling treatment and monitoring of the aneurysm. In accordance with one embodiment the device is adapted to be adjusted postoperatively. Hereby the treatment can be efficiently carried out without having to perform surgery when adjusting the member.