An intravascular blood pump (1) comprises a catheter (5), a rotor (10), a housing (11) in which the rotor (10) is housed and a flexible drive shaft (12) extending through the catheter (5) and connected to the rotor. The drive shaft (12) comprises at least one outer layer (28) and at least one inner layer (29). The drive shaft (12) is rotatably supported in a proximal bearing (13) located proximally of the rotor (10). The outer layer (28) of the drive shaft (12) is absent or thinned at a location where the drive shaft (12) is supported in the proximal bearing (13).

An intravascular blood pump (1) comprises a catheter (5), a rotor (10), a housing (11) in which the rotor (10) is housed and a flexible drive shaft (12) extending through the catheter (5) and connected to the rotor. The drive shaft (12) comprises at least one outer layer (28) and at least one inner layer (29). The drive shaft (12) is rotatably supported in a proximal bearing (13) located proximally of the rotor (10). The outer layer (28) of the drive shaft (12) is absent or thinned at a location where the drive shaft (12) is supported in the proximal bearing (13).

An intravascular blood pump comprises a catheter, a rotor, a housing in which the rotor is housed and a flexible drive shaft extending through the catheter and rotatably supported in a proximal bearing located proximally of the rotor. The proximal bearing comprises a bearing sleeve and an outer bearing ring. The bearing sleeve comprises a proximal portion located proximally of the outer bearing ring, the proximal portion of the bearing sleeve forming an axial bearing with a proximal surface of the outer bearing ring. The bearing sleeve further comprises a distal portion extending from the proximal portion of the bearing sleeve distally into the outer bearing ring, wherein the distal portion of the bearing sleeve forms a radial bearing with the outer bearing ring.

An intravascular blood pump comprises a catheter, a rotor, a housing in which the rotor is housed and a flexible drive shaft extending through the catheter and rotatably supported in a proximal bearing located proximally of the rotor. The proximal bearing comprises a bearing sleeve and an outer bearing ring. The bearing sleeve comprises a proximal portion located proximally of the outer bearing ring, the proximal portion of the bearing sleeve forming an axial bearing with a proximal surface of the outer bearing ring. The bearing sleeve further comprises a distal portion extending from the proximal portion of the bearing sleeve distally into the outer bearing ring, wherein the distal portion of the bearing sleeve forms a radial bearing with the outer bearing ring.

A bearing assembly is configured to retain a distal end of an impeller of a blood pump, where the impeller includes a drive shaft. The bearing assembly includes a pivot member coupled to a distal end of the drive shaft; a distal bearing cup having a proximally-facing surface configured to engage at least a portion of a distal section of the pivot member; and a sleeve bearing disposed around at least a portion of a proximal section of the pivot member.

Aspects of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for predicting an intra-aortic pressure of a patient receiving hemodynamic support from a transvalvular micro-axial heart pump. In some implementations, an intra-aortic pressure time series is derived from measurements of a pressure sensor of the transvalvular micro-axial heart pump and a motor speed time series is derived from a measured back electromotive force of a motor of the transvalvular micro-axial heart pump. Furthermore, in some implementations, machine learning algorithms, such as deep learning, are applied to the intra-aortic pressure and motor speed time series to accurately predict an intra-aortic pressure of the patient. In some implementations, the prediction is short-term (e.g., approximately 5 minutes in advance).

Aspects of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for predicting an intra-aortic pressure of a patient receiving hemodynamic support from a transvalvular micro-axial heart pump. In some implementations, an intra-aortic pressure time series is derived from measurements of a pressure sensor of the transvalvular micro-axial heart pump and a motor speed time series is derived from a measured back electromotive force of a motor of the transvalvular micro-axial heart pump. Furthermore, in some implementations, machine learning algorithms, such as deep learning, are applied to the intra-aortic pressure and motor speed time series to accurately predict an intra-aortic pressure of the patient. In some implementations, the prediction is short-term (e.g., approximately 5 minutes in advance).

Intravascular blood pumps systems and methods of use. The blood pump system includes a catheter portion, a pump portion, and a motor. The motors may be isolated from a return fluid pathway, and may be adapted to rotate about an axis that is spaced from a rotational axis of a drive shaft.

A partially deformable impeller has at least two blades, wherein a periphery of each blade is deformable, the periphery being an outermost 5 to 20 percent of a width of the blade. In some embodiments, a catheter blood pump incorporates the partially deformable impeller.

A heart pump assembly includes an elongate catheter with a proximal portion and a distal portion, a rotor at the distal portion of the elongate catheter, a driveshaft, and a bearing. The rotor can include an impeller blade shaped to induce fluid flow in a first axial direction. The drive shaft may be coupled to or integrally formed with a proximal end of the rotor and can include a pump element formed in a surface of the drive shaft. The bearing can include a bore into which the drive shaft extends. The pump element is shaped so as to induce fluid flow through the bore in a second axial direction which can be the same or opposite to the first axial direction.