A heart pump including: a housing forming a cavity including: at least one inlet aligned with an axis of the cavity; and, at least one outlet provided in a circumferential outer wall of the cavity; an impeller provided within the cavity, the impeller including vanes for urging fluid from the inlet to the outlet; and, a drive for rotating the impeller in the cavity and wherein a flow path through the pump has a minimal cross-sectional area of at least 50 mm.sup.2.

A component for conducting a fluid having a sensor, wherein the component comprises an inner and an outer wall, where-in the inner wall is configured to conduct the fluid, the outer wall terminates the component to the outside, and a wall region is formed between the inner and outer walls. The component in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the sensor has an electromechanical element and is arranged in the wall region at the inner wall, wherein the sensor is adapted to measure a degree of deformation of the inner wall in the region of the sensor by means of the sensor element and to output it as an electrical signal, wherein the sensor element preferably has a length and/or a width of ≤50 μm.

A component for conducting a fluid having a sensor, wherein the component comprises an inner and an outer wall, where-in the inner wall is configured to conduct the fluid, the outer wall terminates the component to the outside, and a wall region is formed between the inner and outer walls. The component in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the sensor has an electromechanical element and is arranged in the wall region at the inner wall, wherein the sensor is adapted to measure a degree of deformation of the inner wall in the region of the sensor by means of the sensor element and to output it as an electrical signal, wherein the sensor element preferably has a length and/or a width of ≤50 μm.

A blood pump may be provided for supporting heart function. A method may be provided for producing a pump housing of the blood pump. The provided blood pump comprises an implantable pump housing. The blood pump additionally comprises a fiber optic sensor comprising an optical fiber. The optical fiber is at least partially accommodated in a housing part of the pump housing.

A blood pump may be provided for supporting heart function. A method may be provided for producing a pump housing of the blood pump. The provided blood pump comprises an implantable pump housing. The blood pump additionally comprises a fiber optic sensor comprising an optical fiber. The optical fiber is at least partially accommodated in a housing part of the pump housing.

The invention relates to a method for operating an implanted, ventricular assist system (2), comprising the following steps: a) determine a first impedance parameter at a first point in time by means of the assist system (2), b) determine a second impedance parameter at a second point in time by means of the assist system (2), c) at least determine a change of the impedance parameter using the first impedance parameter and the second impedance parameter, or compare at least the first or second impedance parameter to a threshold value.

The invention relates to a method for operating an implanted, ventricular assist system (2), comprising the following steps: a) determine a first impedance parameter at a first point in time by means of the assist system (2), b) determine a second impedance parameter at a second point in time by means of the assist system (2), c) at least determine a change of the impedance parameter using the first impedance parameter and the second impedance parameter, or compare at least the first or second impedance parameter to a threshold value.

The invention relates to a method for determining a fluid volume flow (1) through an implanted vascular support system (2), comprising the following steps: a) determining a fluid temperature parameter in the region of a cannula (4) of the support system (2), b) operating a heating element (5) which can bring about a change in a fluid temperature in the cannula (4), c) determining the fluid volume flow (1) using at least the fluid temperature parameter or the change thereof and at least one heating element operating parameter or the change thereof. The invention also relates to a vascular support system.

The invention relates to a method for determining a flow rate of a fluid flowing through an implanted vascular assist system (1), said method comprising the following steps: a) carrying out a first pulsed Doppler measurement at a first pulse repetition rate by means of an ultrasonic sensor (2) of the assist system (1); b) carrying out a second pulsed Doppler measurement at a second pulse repetition rate by means of the ultrasonic sensor (2) of the assist system (1), wherein the second pulse repetition rate differs from the first pulse repetition rate; c) determining the flow rate using measurement results of the first pulsed Doppler measurement and the second pulsed Doppler measurement.

The invention relates to a method for determining a flow rate of a fluid flowing through an implanted vascular assist system (1), said method comprising the following steps: a) carrying out a first pulsed Doppler measurement at a first pulse repetition rate by means of an ultrasonic sensor (2) of the assist system (1); b) carrying out a second pulsed Doppler measurement at a second pulse repetition rate by means of the ultrasonic sensor (2) of the assist system (1), wherein the second pulse repetition rate differs from the first pulse repetition rate; c) determining the flow rate using measurement results of the first pulsed Doppler measurement and the second pulsed Doppler measurement.