Disclosed herein is an implantable blood pump assembly that includes a housing defining an inlet, an outlet, a flow path extending from the inlet to the outlet, and an internal compartment separated from the flow path. The blood pump assembly further includes a rotor positioned within the flow path and operable to pump blood from the inlet to the outlet, a stator positioned within the internal compartment and operable to drive the rotor, and an inlet conduit connected to the housing inlet and having a downstream end that has a reduced cross-sectional area that produces a localized region of high velocity blood flow. The blood pump assembly further includes at least one pressure sensor positioned between the inlet and the outlet and configured to detect a pressure of blood flowing through the flow path. The pressure sensor is located adjacent the downstream end of the inlet conduit.

Disclosed herein is an implantable blood pump assembly that includes a housing defining an inlet, an outlet, a flow path extending from the inlet to the outlet, and an internal compartment separated from the flow path. The blood pump assembly further includes a rotor positioned within the flow path and operable to pump blood from the inlet to the outlet, a stator positioned within the internal compartment and operable to drive the rotor, and an inlet conduit connected to the housing inlet and having a downstream end that has a reduced cross-sectional area that produces a localized region of high velocity blood flow. The blood pump assembly further includes at least one pressure sensor positioned between the inlet and the outlet and configured to detect a pressure of blood flowing through the flow path. The pressure sensor is located adjacent the downstream end of the inlet conduit.

A blood pump assembly can include various components such as a housing and a sensor configured to detect one or more characteristics of the blood. In some embodiments, the sensor can be coupled to the housing and can include a sensor membrane configured to deflect in response to a change in a blood parameter (e.g., pressure). The blood pump assembly can include a shield that covers at least a portion of the sensor membrane so as to protect the sensor from damage when the blood pump assembly is inserted through an introducer and navigated through the patient's vasculature and/or when the blood pump assembly is inserted into the heart in a surgical procedure. One or more protective layers can be deposited over the sensor membrane to prevent the sensor membrane from being dissolved through interactions with the patient's blood.

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.

A cardiac assist system having a pumping device for moving blood, wherein a pumping capacity of the pumping device is adjustable using an adjustment signal based on laser doppler with an optical fiber. A measuring device measures a flow rate of the body fluid, the measuring device comprising at least one light source for outputting a light beam and at least one sensor element for detecting a reflected partial beam of the light beam. The measuring device is adapted to measure the body fluid using the reflected partial beam of the light beam. A determination device is adapted to determine the adjustment signal using the measurement signal. The device may include a bore opening to a blood flow channel, with an optical fiber extending through the bore.

Apparatus and methods are described including manufacturing an impeller by forming a structure having first and second bushings at proximal and distal ends that are connected to one another by at least one elongate element. The elongate element is made to radially expand and form a helical elongate element. An elastomeric material is coupled to the helical elongate element, such that the helical elongate element with the elastomeric material coupled thereto defines a blade of the impeller. The coupling is performed such that a layer of the material disposed around a radially outer edge of the helical elongate element forms the effective edge of the impeller blade. A step is performed to enhance bonding of the elastomeric material to the helical elongate element in a manner that does not cause a protrusion from the effective edge of the impeller blade. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described including coupling a rigid tube to a drive cable that comprises a plurality of coiled wires, by placing ends of the drive cable and the rigid tube at a given location within a butt-welding overtube. The ends of the drive cable and the rigid tube are visible when they are disposed at the given location within the butt-welding overtube, via a window defined by the butt-welding overtube. The placement of the drive cable within the butt-welding overtube is such that a helical groove within a portion of the butt-welding overtube is disposed over the drive cable. Welding rings are formed around the butt-welding overtube. Other applications are also described.

Techniques and systems for using spectroscopy- and/or image-based sensing with an intravascular blood pump may be provided. The techniques generally include capturing a spectral response to light of a measured tissue and/or blood. Based on the specific needs, the method may include, e.g., determining a type of the measured tissue based on the spectral response, determining if the type of the measured tissue matches a target tissue type, determining a health of the measured tissue based on the spectral response, determining a treatment plan based on the health of the measured tissue, determining a type and/or quantity of components and/or characteristics in the blood, and/or determining a degree of heart recovery based on the type and/or quantity of the components and/or characteristics in the blood.

A pump is provided with a housing and with an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet and a fluid channel with a channel axis, said fluid channel being arranged between the inlet and outlet. A rotor which can be brought into rotation by way of a motor is arranged within the fluid channel. Furthermore, a sensor arrangement is provided which can detect an inclination of the rotation axis of the rotor.

A pump is provided with a housing and with an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet and a fluid channel with a channel axis, said fluid channel being arranged between the inlet and outlet. A rotor which can be brought into rotation by way of a motor is arranged within the fluid channel. Furthermore, a sensor arrangement is provided which can detect an inclination of the rotation axis of the rotor.