A dialysis machine (e.g., a peritoneal dialysis (PD) machine) can include a safety feature that is used to isolate individual fluid lines attached to a disposable cassette. The PD machine can include an interface for a disposable cassette, a plurality of safety mechanisms, and a processor. A plurality of fluid lines are connected to the disposable cassette, and each safety mechanism corresponds to a particular fluid line in the plurality of fluid lines. The processor is configured to detect a hazard condition, such as a loss of power to the PD machine or leak in the disposable cassette, and activate one or more safety mechanisms to isolate corresponding fluid lines connected to the disposable cassette. In one embodiment, the safety mechanisms are spring-loaded clamping mechanisms configured to compress a distensible tube connected to the fluid line. In another embodiment, the safety mechanisms include relay solenoids and/or check valves.

Disclosed are techniques to generate ideal or near ideal profiles for regulation of the volume of fluid flow in a drive system of a pump for an externally mechanically supported heart, pressure in or near the pump, or measured strain/strain rates of the supported heart, based on an estimate/measurement of the heart's size. A part of the techniques for regulation may focus on achieving mechanical synchrony with the intrinsic cyclic pump function of a partially functional heart. The techniques do not fundamentally rely on hemodynamic measurements to function. However, when hemodynamic measures are available, those measures can be fed to control algorithms to increase the efficacy of regulation to restore the heart's pump function.

A method of controlling operation of an implantable blood pump includes attempting to restart a stopped implantable blood pump for a predetermined number of attempts with either power from an internal battery of a controller in communication with the implantable blood pump or transcutaneous energy transfer system (TETS) power in communication with the internal battery and the implantable blood pump. Following the predetermined number of attempts, the method includes pausing attempting to restart the implantable blood pump and begin attempting to recharge the internal battery with TETS power.

Disclosed is a device for providing resuscitation or suspended state through redistribution of cardiac output to increase supply to the brain and heart for a patient. The device includes an electrically controllable redistribution component attachable to the patient to provide redistribution of the cardiac output to increase supply to the brain and heart. The redistribution component, following a predefined reaction pattern based on an electrical signal, and computer means configured to: receive a patient data which identifies physiological and/or anatomical characteristics of the patent; and provide the electrical signal for the redistribution component based on the patient data or a standard response. The device may provide mechanisms to protect the aorta and the remaining anatomy of the patient from inadvertent damage caused by the disclosed device in any usage scenario of either correct intended usage or unintended usage. Also disclosed is a method for providing resuscitation or suspended state.

A method of operating an implantable blood pump having a first stator, a second stator, and an impeller movably disposed there between. The method includes applying a first voltage waveform at first phase to the first stator to generate a magnetic field to rotate the impeller. A second voltage waveform is applied at a second phase shifted from the first phase to the second stator to rotate the impeller, the second voltage waveform is asymmetric to the first voltage waveform.

Disclosed is an artificial heart and lung apparatus (100) that can be connected to a patient (P), and transfers removed blood to a human body via a roller pump (120), the system including: the roller pump (120); a blood removal line (101) which transfers removed blood to the roller pump (120); a first blood transfer line (104) that transfers blood, which is transferred from the roller pump (120), to the human body; a blood removal rate sensor (111) that is provided in the blood removal line (101); and a control unit (140), in which the control unit (140) performs control such that a blood transfer rate of the roller pump (120) is in a specific range with respect to a blood removal rate measured by a blood removal rate sensor (111).

A drive device is provided comprising a working pump, the working pump connected to a membrane fluid pump, and the working pump having a working piston able to oscillate axially between two reversal points for contracting and expanding a working chamber, and a control unit for controlling a movement of the working piston between the two reversal points. The controlled movement of the working piston comprises three temporally successive phases, in a first phase the working piston is accelerated to a speed that is greater than a speed at the end of the first phase, in a second phase the working piston is moved such that a specified speed of the working piston, a specified relative pressure in the working chamber, or a specified force of the working piston is substantially kept constant, and in a third phase the working piston is moved at a negative acceleration.

The invention provides an introducer assembly for delivering a blood pump into vasculature of a subject, as well as a method for utilizing the assembly.

A method, apparatus and computer system product for improving cardiac output from the heart is presented. A balloon is placed within a chamber of a heart wherein the balloon encloses a mechanical expansion device and air. During a first time epoch in which the heart chamber is volumetrically contracting (during emptying), a mechanical expansion device causes the balloon to increase in size, which improves ejection fraction. During a second time epoch in which the heart chamber is volumetrically expanding (during filling), the mechanical expansion device causes the balloon to decrease in size, which improves filling.

Apparatus and methods are described including placing, into a subject's body, a blood-pump tube, with a blood pump disposed within the blood-pump tube. At least one blood-pressure-measurement tube, which defines an opening at a distal end thereof, extends to at least an outer surface of the blood-pump tube, such that the opening at the distal end of the blood-pressure-measurement tube is in direct fluid communication with a bloodstream of the subject outside the blood-pump tube. Blood is pumped through the blood-pump tube, using the blood pump. Pressure of the bloodstream of the subject outside the blood-pump tube is measured by measuring pressure of blood within the blood-pressure-measurement tube. Other applications are also described.