A cutting edge of a punch includes side segments and a central segment disposed between the side segments. When the punch head slides into a hollow blade, the central segment of the cutting edge meets the punch head before the side segments meet the punch head. The central segment starts cutting first, which can help avoid a dog-bone shaped hole when the punch is used on a blood vessel, such as the aorta.

Methods of operating a blood pump having a magnetically levitated impeller. A method of operating a blood pump includes controlling supply of drive currents to drive coils of the blood pump to magnetically rotate an impeller around an impeller axis of rotation within a blood flow channel of a blood pump. Supply of a bearing current to a levitation coil of the blood pump is controlled to magnetically levitate the impeller in a direction transverse to the impeller axis of rotation so as to minimize power consumption of the blood pump during operation of the blood pump.

The cardiovascular device (1) comprises: a flexible membrane (3) insertable in a transverse position in a ventricular cavity (10); a flexible frame (2) which supports the membrane (3) in the transverse position, the flexible frame (2) comprising a plurality of shaped thread-like elements (4) each of which comprises a first portion (4A) which has a first end that is centrally associated with other first ends (4A) of other first portions of other thread-like elements (4) forming a central hub (5) and a second portion (4B) which is helically shaped and which has having a second end opposite the first end which is attached to an attachment element (6) which is common to other second ends of other thread-like elements (4), which form all together a plurality of loops (7; 28) everted toward the outside to support and constrain the membrane (3).

Connectors and related methods for fluidly coupling a blood pump with an aorta facilitate implantation of the blood pump. A method of fluidly coupling a blood pump with an aorta includes positioning a connector device defining a passageway extending between a proximal opening and a distal opening. The connector device includes a support member surrounding the distal opening. The support member is interfaced with a wall of the aorta so that the distal opening is at a desired location of an inlet opening in the aorta. The support member is attached to the aorta around the distal opening so as to form a fluid seal and stabilize the connector device. A slit is incised in the wall of the aorta to form the inlet opening in the aorta. A proximal opening of the tubular connector is fluidly coupled with an outflow graft tube of the blood pump.

A system is provided for connecting a blood pump to a heart, the system comprising: a blood pump for conveying blood, wherein the blood pump comprises a first tubular portion and a second tubular portion, and between the first and the second tubular portion, there is a flange-shaped portion; and comprising a connector having a tubular connector portion extending in an axial direction between a distal end and a proximal end having a lumen for receiving the first tubular portion of the blood pump, and having a flange-shaped connector portion arranged at the distal end for fastening the connector to an organ.

An inlet cannula is provided for supplying a fluid from a human vessel to a fluid pump, the inlet cannula formed as a hollow structure suitable for conveying the fluid and a surface of the inlet cannula has an ingrowth zone and an inlet zone separated from each other by a tear-off edge extending in the circumferential direction of the inlet cannula, wherein a first tangent to the inlet zone on the tear-off edge has an angle to a longitudinal axis of the inlet cannula of >0° and <180°, and wherein a surface roughness in the ingrowth zone is greater than a surface roughness in the inlet zone, and wherein along the flow direction the ingrowth zone is concave, convex, or not curved and the inlet zone is convexly curved, and wherein the tear-off edge forms a curvature transition between the ingrowth zone and the inlet zone.

Methods and apparatus for estimating flow rate in a blood circulation assist system employing impeller eccentricity. A method includes magnetically rotating an impeller within a blood flow channel of a blood pump. The impeller is levitated within the blood flow channel transverse to the impeller axis of rotation. A rotational speed for the impeller is determined. At least one impeller transverse position parameter is determined. The at least one impeller transverse position parameter is based on at least one of (1) an amount of a bearing current that is used to levitate the impeller transverse to the impeller axis of rotation, and (2) a position of the impeller within the blood flow channel transverse to the impeller axis of rotation. A flow rate of blood pumped by the blood pump is estimated based on the impeller rotational speed and the at least one impeller transverse position parameter.

An access device for a heart chamber, a removable hemostatic valve unit, and a system and a method of creating a transapical passage on a beating heart are disclosed. In examples, the access device (1) includes an apical base plate (100) and a sealing unit (3) configured to provide a separation of a wet zone from a heart chamber and a dry zone with a gaseous environment outside of said heart chamber inside a patient body at the same time.

An apical cuff axial compression assembly including a ring member for coupling an apical cuff of a Ventricular Assist Device pump, to left ventricular apical tissue. Tissue anchors are employed to engage with the ring member and the apical cuff to exert direct or axial compression of the ring member to the apical cuff and to the left ventricular apical tissue. A first variant includes an axial compression ring and a plurality of openings to accommodate the tissue anchors. A second variant includes a segmented axial compression ring composed of a plurality of arcuate members, which may be contiguous or joined to each other or not. Each of the plurality of arcuate members has at least one tissue anchor opening passing therethrough.

An apical cuff axial compression assembly including a ring member for coupling an apical cuff of a Ventricular Assist Device pump, to left ventricular apical tissue. Tissue anchors are employed to engage with the ring member and the apical cuff to exert direct or axial compression of the ring member to the apical cuff and to the left ventricular apical tissue. A first variant includes an axial compression ring and a plurality of openings to accommodate the tissue anchors. A second variant includes a segmented axial compression ring composed of a plurality of arcuate members, which may be contiguous or joined to each other or not. Each of the plurality of arcuate members has at least one tissue anchor opening passing therethrough.