A blood circulation assist system includes a ventricular assist device (VAD) and a controller. The VAD is attachable to a heart of a patient to pump blood from a ventricle of the heart into a blood vessel of the patient. The VAD includes an impeller, a motor stator operable to rotate the impeller, and an accelerometer generating an accelerometer output indicative of accelerations of the VAD. The controller controls operation of the motor stator to control rotational speed of the impeller based on the accelerometer output.

Method and systems control a rotational speed of a blood pump during ventricular diastole. A method includes controlling a blood pump in accordance with a first segment operational mode. A controller monitors the blood flow rate through the blood pump. The controller determines, based on the blood flow rate, whether continued controlling of the blood pump per the first segment operational mode would result in the blood flow rate through the blood pump being less than a target minimum blood flow rate. In response to a determination that continued controlling of the blood pump per the first segment operational mode would result in the blood flow rate through the blood pump being less than the target minimum blood flow rate, the controller controls the rotational speed of the blood pump so that the blood flow rate through the blood pump is approximate to the target minimum blood flow rate.

The invention relates to a method for determining at least a flow velocity or a fluid volume flow (5) of a fluid flowing through an implanted vascular support system (1), comprising the following steps: a) carrying out a pulsed Doppler measurement by means of an ultrasonic sensor (2) of the support system (1), b) evaluating a measurement result from step a), which has a possible ambiguity, c) providing at least one operating parameter of a flow machine (3) of the support system (1), d) determining at least the flow velocity or the fluid volume flow (5) using the measurement result evaluated in step b), wherein the possible ambiguity of the measurement result is corrected using the operating parameter.

The invention relates to a device (105) for determining a cardiac output for a cardiac assist system (100), wherein the device (105) comprises a support structure (115) and a sensor device (120). The support structure (115) comprises at least one brace (125) and a connection section (130) for connecting the device (105) to an element (110, 112) of the cardiac assist system (100). The at least one brace (125) is connected to the connection section (130) and can be folded away from the element (110, 112). The sensor device (120) is coupled to the at least one brace (125) and configured to sense a blood stream.

A cardiac support system (20) is equipped with a retaining structure (30) for the cardiac support system, said retaining structure (30) being intended to fix the cardiac support system in place. The cardiac support system comprises a device for monitoring the integrity of the retaining structure (30).

Apparatus and methods are described including a left-ventricular assist device that includes a tube configured to traverse a subject's aortic valve, with a distal portion of the tube disposed within the subject's left ventricle. A frame is disposed within the distal portion of the tube. A pump disposed within the frame pumps blood through the tube. A distal-tip element defines a straight proximal portion that defines a longitudinal axis, and a curved distal portion that is shaped such as to curve in a first direction with respect to the longitudinal axis before passing through an inflection point and curving in a second direction with respect to the longitudinal axis, such that the curved distal portion defines a bulge on one side of the longitudinal axis. Other applications are also described.

A hemodynamic flow assist device includes a miniature pump, a basket-like cage enclosing and supporting the pump, and a motor to drive the pump. The device is implanted and retrieved in a minimally invasive manner via percutaneous access to a patient's artery. The device has a first, collapsed configuration to assist in implantation and a second, expanded configuration once deployed and active. The device is deployed within a patient's aorta and is secured in place via a self-expanding cage which engages the inner wall of the aorta. The device includes a helical screw pump with self-expanding blades, sensors, and anchoring structures. Also disclosed is a retrieval device to remove the hemodynamic flow assist device once it is no longer needed by the patient and an arterial closure device to close the artery access point after implantation and removal of the hemodynamic flow assist device. The hemodynamic flow assist device helps to increase blood flow in patients suffering from congestive heart failure and awaiting heart transplant.

Apparatus and methods are described including a left-ventricular assist device that includes an impeller configured to be placed inside a subject's left ventricle and to pump blood from the left ventricle to the subject's aorta, by rotating. A frame is disposed around the impeller. A tube traverses the subject's aortic valve, such that a proximal portion of the tube is disposed within the aorta and a distal portion of the tube is disposed within the left ventricle. The distal portion of the tube extends to the 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. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described including a left-ventricular assist device that includes an impeller configured to be placed inside a subject's left ventricle and to pump blood from the left ventricle to the subject's aorta, by rotating. A frame is disposed around the impeller. A tube traverses the subject's aortic valve, such that a proximal portion of the tube is disposed within the aorta and a distal portion of the tube is disposed within the left ventricle. The distal portion of the tube extends to the 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. Other applications are also described.

Rotary lobe pump, comprising a pump housing (2, 9, 10) with a substantially cylindrical pump chamber (8) and a rotary lobe as rotor (1) with at least two blades (3) arranged opposite each other or evenly distributed in the circumferential direction and at least one sealing valve (4), characterized in that at least two sealing valves (4a, 4b) arranged opposite one another or uniformly distributed in the circumferential direction are provided, the at least two sealing valves (4a, 4b) being rotatable or pivotable, and an inlet duct (11) to at least two inlet openings (6) into the pump chamber (8) and an outlet duct (12) from at least two outlet openings (7) out of the pump chamber (8) being provided axially in a rotor axial tube (18), extending from the opposite axial ends and separated from one another.