Extracorporeal circuit devices can be used for on-pump open-heart surgery to support surgical procedures such as coronary artery bypass grafting. In some cases, a centrifugal pump is used as part of an extracorporeal circuit. Centrifugal pump heads are described herein that induce flow on two sides of an impeller plate, and that can be conveniently mechanically assembled.

A device for assisting the operation of a natural heart is provided. A supporting jacket shaped to surround at least a portion of a heart has an expandable membrane attached to the inside wall of the jacket so that the membrane faces the heart. An inflatable cavity is formed between the jacket and the membrane. The cavity is connected to an expandable fluid reservoir via a length of flexible tubing. Pumps are used to pump fluid back and forth between the cavity and the reservoir. The cavity if inflated as the heart contract to aid the heart in pumping blood. The cavity is deflated as the heart relaxes to allow the heart to refill with blood. The cycle of pumping fluid is synchronized with the cardiac cycle.

The present invention relates to an apparatus (500) for supporting the heart action, preferably by displacing the heart base (110) and/or the aortic root (201), comprising at least a first anchor (501) and a pulling device or guiding device (502, 503, 732, 732a, 732b) for moving the first anchor (501), wherein the first anchor (501) is provided and designed for implantation in or on the heart base (110), the heart skeleton (120), the aortic root (201) and/or a structure in local proximity to the aortic root (210), and/or comprising at least one lifting drive (502, 503). The present invention further relates to a control device (901), an insertion system, a kit and a method for supporting the heart action.

The present invention relates to an apparatus (500) for supporting the heart action, preferably by displacing the heart base (110) and/or the aortic root (201), comprising at least a first anchor (501) and a pulling device or guiding device (502, 503, 732, 732a, 732b) for moving the first anchor (501), wherein the first anchor (501) is provided and designed for implantation in or on the heart base (110), the heart skeleton (120), the aortic root (201) and/or a structure in local proximity to the aortic root (210), and/or comprising at least one lifting drive (502, 503). The present invention further relates to a control device (901), an insertion system, a kit and a method for supporting the heart action.

A blood pump having a pump casing with a blood flow inlet and a blood flow outlet, an impeller arranged in said pump casing so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation. The impeller has blades sized and shaped for conveying blood from the blood flow inlet to the blood flow outlet. There is a drive unit for rotating the impeller, the drive unit having a magnetic core including a plurality of posts arranged about the axis of rotation and a back plate connecting the posts and extending between the posts in an intermediate area. A coil winding is disposed around each of the posts. The coil windings are controllable so as to create a rotating magnetic field. The impeller has a magnetic structure arranged to interact with the rotating magnetic field so as to cause rotation of the impeller.

A blood pump having a pump casing with a blood flow inlet and a blood flow outlet, an impeller arranged in said pump casing so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation. The impeller has blades sized and shaped for conveying blood from the blood flow inlet to the blood flow outlet. There is a drive unit for rotating the impeller, the drive unit having a magnetic core including a plurality of posts arranged about the axis of rotation and a back plate connecting the posts and extending between the posts in an intermediate area. A coil winding is disposed around each of the posts. The coil windings are controllable so as to create a rotating magnetic field. The impeller has a magnetic structure arranged to interact with the rotating magnetic field so as to cause rotation of the impeller.

The present invention relates to a transcatheter method for providing fluid communication between two anatomical compartments. The present invention also relates to a transcatheter system comprising an intracorporeal connector for fluid communication between two anatomical compartments through at least one anatomical wall, wherein said connector is adapted to receive a flow regulating device, a connector, a flow regulating device and an insertion device.

A switchable pump device is provided and comprises a pump assembly including first and second pumps each having a separate inlet and outlet, an inner core or shell housing the pump assembly, and an outer shell housing the inner shell and having a pair of openings. The outer shell is interconnected to the inner shell such that the inner shell is movable relative to the outer shell to enable the inlet and outlet of a selected one of the first and second pumps to be aligned with the pair of openings in the outer shell to place the selected one of the first and second pumps in an operational condition while the other of the first and second pumps is positioned in an inoperative condition.

A switchable pump device is provided and comprises a pump assembly including first and second pumps each having a separate inlet and outlet, an inner core or shell housing the pump assembly, and an outer shell housing the inner shell and having a pair of openings. The outer shell is interconnected to the inner shell such that the inner shell is movable relative to the outer shell to enable the inlet and outlet of a selected one of the first and second pumps to be aligned with the pair of openings in the outer shell to place the selected one of the first and second pumps in an operational condition while the other of the first and second pumps is positioned in an inoperative condition.

Apparatus is provided for deployment in a lumen of a blood vessel of a subject. The apparatus includes a reciprocating device configured to move downstream and upstream in the blood vessel in a reciprocating pattern to provide: (i) a first effective surface area of the device for pushing blood downstream in the blood vessel during downstream motion of the reciprocating device, and (ii) second effective surface area of the device during upstream motion of the reciprocating device. The first effective surface area is larger for pushing blood in the blood vessel than the second effective surface area. The apparatus further includes a device driver configured to drive the reciprocating device in the reciprocating pattern. Other applications are also described.