An external transmitter inductive coil can be provided in, on, or with a belt designed to be placed externally around a part of a body of a patient. An implantable device (such as a VAD or other medical device) that is implanted within the patient's body has associated with a receiver inductive coil that gets implanted within that part of the patient's body along with the device. The externally-located transmitter inductive coil inductively transfers electromagnetic power into that part of the body and thus to the receiver inductive coil. The implanted receiver inductive coil thus wirelessly receives the inductively-transferred electromagnetic power, and operates the implant.

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.

An impeller includes a hub and a blade supported by the hub. The impeller has a stored configuration in which the blade is compressed so that its distal end moves towards the hub, and a deployed configuration in which the blade extends away from the hub. The impeller may be part of a pump for pumping fluids, such as blood, and may include a cannula having a proximal portion with a fixed diameter, and a distal portion with an expandable diameter. The impeller may reside in the expandable portion of the cannula. The cannula may have a compressed diameter which allows it to be inserted percutaneously into a patient. Once at a desired location, the expandable portion of the cannula may be expanded and the impeller expanded to the deployed configuration. A flexible drive shaft may extend through the cannula for rotationally driving the impeller within the patient.

The invention relates to a rotor for a pump, having at least one blade, the rotor being able to be actuated to rotate about an axis of rotation in order to convey a fluid in the axial or radial direction, the rotor being able to be deformed reversibly elastically in the radial direction between a first, radially compressed state and a second, radially expanded state which the rotor adopts without the effect of external forces, and a third state of the rotor being provided in which, in pumping operation under fluid loading, the rotor is deformed from the first state to beyond the second state.

An apparatus is disclosed including: a cannula having a shape closely matched to the anatomy of the right ventricle of the human heart, where the cannula has an outflow port configured to be located proximal the pulmonary artery and an inflow port located proximal the inferior vena cava. In some embodiments, the cannula is a close fit to the anatomy of at least 90%, 95%, or more of the population.

Cannula assemblies and methods of manufacturing cannula assemblies are provided. The cannula assembly includes a cannula and a pigtail extension coupled to the cannula. The pigtail extension includes a proximal section having a first stiffness and a distal section having a second stiffness, the first stiffness greater than the second stiffness. The proximal section of the pigtail extension is positioned between the cannula and at least a portion of the distal section.

A connection system implantable within a living body having an exterior skin includes a male connector and a female connector. The male connector includes a shaft extending along an axis between a proximal end and a distal end, the shaft having an exterior surface surrounding the axis, at least one shaft contact carried on the shaft and exposed at the exterior surface, and a retaining element mounted to the shaft. The female connector includes a structure defining a bore extending along an axis between a proximal end and a distal end, at least one bore contact mounted to the structure and exposed within the bore and a catch element mounted to the structure. The catch and retaining elements allow the shaft to be inserted into the bore to align the contacts. A locking element rotatably locks the shaft in the bore. A method of implanting the system is also provided.

A artificial ventricle comprises an inlet for receiving blood, an outlet for discharging blood, and a chamber disposed between the inlet and the outlet. There is also a mechanism for actuating the artificial ventricle between an expanded configuration and a contracted configuration. In the expanded configuration, blood flows into the inlet. In the contracted configuration, blood flows out of the outlet. There may be a one-way valve at the outlet for preventing blood flow back into the chamber. The one-way valve may be a diaphragm valve. The chamber may have a resilient outer wall. The chamber may have an ovoid shape.

A radially compressible cardiac gripper for at least mechanical stimulation of a heart. The cardiac gripper has two gripper arms, wherein at least one of the gripper arms comprises a flexible section configured for movement of the arm having the flexible section.

A cardiac support system can be used to couple a conduit of a pump to a heart. The cardiac support system can include a sewing ring configured for attachment to the heart, a connector having a ring frame attached to the sewing ring, and having a channel and a frame recess extending radially outwardly from the channel and a spring component disposed partially within the frame recess. The cardiac support system can also include a pump housing having a radial protrusion having a distal surface and a proximal surface and a housing recess extending radially inwardly from the radial protrusion and configured to receive a portion of the spring component. The housing may also include a seal to form a fluid tight barrier between the housing and ring frame of the connector.