In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to a method of fabricating an artificial heart muscle (AHM) patch. In some embodiments, the method includes obtaining and/or isolating cells from a subject. In some embodiments, the cells are primary cardiac cells. In some embodiments, the method further includes forming a scaffold. In some embodiments, the method includes seeding the cells in the fibrin gel scaffold. In some embodiments, the method includes culturing the cells seeded in the fibrin gel scaffold under conditions appropriate for the formation of an artificial heart muscle (AHM) patch. In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to a method of fabricating a bioartificial heart (BAH). In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to a method of treatment of cardiac tissue injury in a subject in need thereof. In some embodiments, the method includes implanting the aforementioned artificial heart muscle patch in the injured area of the subject. In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method of treating end stage cardiac disease in a subject in need thereof.

A method may be provided for the operation of a pump device, which comprises at least one pump as well as a suction element which is connected to the at least one pump and which has a suction opening positioned in a cavity of a body of a patient that sucks a fluid by way of producing a reduced pressure in the suction element, wherein an acceleration is measured and monitored during the operation of the pump device, wherein the reduced pressure in the suction element is reduced at least for a limited reaction time period, given the occurrence of an acceleration variable which lies above a fixed threshold valve. A correspondingly configured pump device may be provided.

Apparatus and methods are described including inserting a catheter into a subject's body via a vein of the subject's groin. The catheter is advanced distally such that a distal end of the catheter is disposed inside the subject's renal vein. Respective stabilizing portions of the catheter stabilize the catheter by being in contact with inner walls of, respectively, an iliac vein of the subject, and a vena cava of the subject. Subsequently, a medical device is deployed inside the renal vein by retracting the distal end of the catheter, such that the distal end of the catheter is in a retracted state, in which the respective stabilizing portions of the catheter still stabilize the catheter by being in contact with the inner walls of, respectively, the subject's iliac vein and the subject's vena cava. Other applications are also described.

Embodiments provide a water-resistant VAD bag including an upper unit having the shape of a cylinder, a lower unit having the shape of a cylinder, a controller sleeve, a battery sleeve, two inserted sleeves positioned in between the controller sleeve and the battery sleeve, an inner sleeve, and an inner layer. The upper unit includes a first elongated strap with a clip and second elongated strap without a clip, a cover on top of the upper unit with a handle sewn into the cover, and a zipper around a bottom of the cover. The lower unit includes a connecting strap and a third elongated strap with a receptacle for the clip on the first elongated strap from the upper unit, where the zipper is on the top of the lower unit, and where the connecting strap and second elongated strap are sewn into the lower unit and the upper unit.

The subject matter of the present invention is a pump arrangement (1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50), in particular for use in the body's own vessels, having a pump (11, 41, 51) and a sheath (12, 42, 52) receiving the pump, bounding a flow passage (S) and having a distal intake opening (13, 43, 53) and a proximal outflow opening (14, 29, 39, 44, 54) for producing a driving flow by means of the pump, wherein the pump is arranged in a first fluid-tight section (12a, 42a, 52a) having the distal intake opening and a second fluid-tight section (12b, 42b, 52b) includes the proximal outflow opening. In accordance with the invention, a further inlet opening (15) is present between the first section and the second section and is arranged between the intake opening and the outflow opening, with the first section and the second section being arranged with respect to one another such that the inlet opening opens into the flow proximal to the pump.

In one general aspect, a method includes measuring blood flow through a right rotary blood pump, measuring blood flow through a left rotary blood pump, and controlling a speed of one of the rotary blood pumps using a controller that calculates the speed of one of the rotary blood pumps based on the measured blood flow through the other rotary blood pump.

A bearing assembly for use in a blood pump includes a first component that has a convex bearing surface and a first outer surface proximate the convex bearing surface. The bearing assembly includes a second component that a concave bearing surface and a second outer surface proximate the concave bearing surface, the concave bearing surface being configured to receive the convex bearing surface. A plurality of grooves are defined through the convex bearing surface and first outer surface or through the concave bearing surface and the second outer surface.

Systems and methods for providing a reinforced cannula for use in a blood pump assembly. The reinforced cannula comprises one or more thermoformed reinforced end portions. The thermoformed reinforced end portions may be stiffer than a medial portion of the cannula, allowing the medial portion of the cannula body to stretch and bend more readily than the cannula ends when the cannula is subject to an applied stress, reducing the stress and strain on the cannula ends.

A method of controlling a blood pump having a predefined hydraulic performance including at least from the group consisting of estimating and measuring an instantaneous flow rate during operation of the blood pump at a predetermined rotational speed of an impeller of the blood pump, the instantaneous flow rate including a plurality of flow rate data points. The plurality of flow rate data points define a trajectory around at least one from the group consisting of an operational point of a predefined pressure-flow curve associated with the predetermined rotational speed of the impeller of the blood pump and a target operational point of a target pressure-flow curve different than the predefined pressure-flow curve. The predetermined rotational speed of the impeller is adjusted until the plurality of flow rate data points define a predetermined trajectory around at least one of the operational point and the target operational point.

A rotary pump housing having a cylindrical bore, a pumping chamber and a motor stator including an electrically conductive coil located within the housing and surrounding a portion of the cylindrical bore. A rotor has a cylindrical shaft with an impeller and one or of magnets located within the shaft that are responsive to the motor stator to drive actuation of the rotor. The housing bore is closely fitted to the outer surface of the shaft forming a hydrodynamic journal bearing with an annular clearance defining a leakage flow path. One or more of radial or axial thrust bearings may be provided to provide rotation stability to the rotor and flow within the leakage flow path. The relative orientation of positions of the inflow, outflow, and leakage flow paths may be varied within the pump, such as to accommodate different intended methods for implantation and/or use.