A heart pump assembly includes an elongate catheter with a proximal portion and a distal portion, a rotor at the distal portion of the elongate catheter, a driveshaft, and a bearing. The rotor can include an impeller blade shaped to induce fluid flow in a first axial direction. The drive shaft may be coupled to or integrally formed with a proximal end of the rotor and can include a pump element formed in a surface of the drive shaft. The bearing can include a bore into which the drive shaft extends. The pump element is shaped so as to induce fluid flow through the bore in a second axial direction which can be the same or opposite to the first axial direction.

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.

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.

The invention relates to a blood pump. The blood pump comprises a flexible drive shaft guided in a catheter, a conveying element connected to the drive shaft in a distal region of the drive shaft, and a motor, wherein the motor has a stator and a rotor mounted such that it can move in the stator. The stator comprises a winding and the rotor comprises a rotor magnet. In addition, the drive shaft is connected to the rotor at a proximal end of the drive shaft. The stator and the rotor are nondetachably connected to one another, and form a gap with a ring-shaped cross-section, which is delimited by the rotor and the stator.

The invention relates to a blood pump. The blood pump comprises a flexible drive shaft guided in a catheter, a conveying element connected to the drive shaft in a distal region of the drive shaft, and a motor, wherein the motor has a stator and a rotor mounted such that it can move in the stator. The stator comprises a winding and the rotor comprises a rotor magnet. In addition, the drive shaft is connected to the rotor at a proximal end of the drive shaft. The stator and the rotor are nondetachably connected to one another, and form a gap with a ring-shaped cross-section, which is delimited by the rotor and the stator.

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.

A heart pump assembly includes an elongate catheter with a proximal portion and a distal portion, a rotor at the distal portion of the elongate catheter, a driveshaft, and a bearing. The rotor can include an impeller blade shaped to induce fluid flow in a first axial direction. The drive shaft may be coupled to or integrally formed with a proximal end of the rotor and can include a pump element formed in a surface of the drive shaft. The bearing can include a bore into which the drive shaft extends. The pump element is shaped so as to induce fluid flow through the bore in a second axial direction which can be the same or opposite to the first axial direction.

A heart pump assembly includes an elongate catheter with a proximal portion and a distal portion, a rotor at the distal portion of the elongate catheter, a driveshaft, and a bearing. The rotor can include an impeller blade shaped to induce fluid flow in a first axial direction. The drive shaft may be coupled to or integrally formed with a proximal end of the rotor and can include a pump element formed in a surface of the drive shaft. The bearing can include a bore into which the drive shaft extends. The pump element is shaped so as to induce fluid flow through the bore in a second axial direction which can be the same or opposite to the first axial direction.

The catheter device comprises a motor at the proximal end of the catheter device and a drive shaft, extending from the proximal end section to the distal end section of the catheter device, for driving a rotating element located at the distal end of the catheter device. The catheter device also comprises a hose-like catheter body which encompasses the drive shaft and extends from the proximal end section to the distal end section. At the proximal end of the catheter device, the drive shaft is connected to a motor by a clutch. The clutch is a magnetic clutch with a proximal and a distal magnet unit. The proximal magnet unit is connected to the motor and the distal magnet unit to the drive shaft. The distal magnet unit is mounted fluid-tight in a clutch housing. The proximal end of the catheter body makes a fluid-tight connection with the clutch housing.