Apparatus and methods are described, including apparatus (20) for implanting in a heart of a human subject. The apparatus includes an interatrial anchor (22) shaped to define an opening (26) having a diameter of 4-8 mm, and a bag (24) in fluid communication with the opening of the anchor. The apparatus is shaped to fit within a right atrium of the heart of the subject, and has a capacity of between 4 and 20 cm3. Other applications are also described.

A disposable fluid pump is provided with a housing including first and second faces, with a sidewall extending between the first and second faces. The housing defines a chamber, with an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the chamber. An impeller is rotatably mounted within the chamber and includes a plurality of flexible vanes. Such a pump may be incorporated into a disposable fluid flow circuit that is adapted to be mounted on a durable hardware for processing a fluid. In such a fluid flow circuit, the fluid pump may be integrated into a cassette of the circuit or, alternatively, the inlet and outlet of the fluid pump may be directly connected to fluid flow conduits of the circuit.

An implantable pump system is provided, suitable for use as a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) system, having an implantable pump, a battery, a controller, and a programmer. The implantable pump includes a flexible membrane coupled to an actuator assembly via a skirt that extends toward the inlet of the pump and curves to guide blood toward the outlet. The actuator assembly is magnetically engageable with electromagnetic coils, so that when the electromagnetic coils are energized, the actuator assembly causes wavelike undulations to propagate along the flexible membrane to propel blood from the inlet, across the skirt, and through the outlet of the implantable pump. The controller may be programmed by a programmer to operate at frequencies and duty cycles that mimic physiologic flow rates and pulsatility while operating in an efficient manner that avoids thrombus formation, hemolysis and/or platelet activation.

An implantable pump system is provided, suitable for use as a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) system, having an implantable pump, a battery, a controller, and a programmer. The implantable pump includes a flexible membrane coupled to an actuator assembly via a skirt that extends toward the inlet of the pump and curves to guide blood toward the outlet. The actuator assembly is magnetically engageable with electromagnetic coils, so that when the electromagnetic coils are energized, the actuator assembly causes wavelike undulations to propagate along the flexible membrane to propel blood from the inlet, across the skirt, and through the outlet of the implantable pump. The controller may be programmed by a programmer to operate at frequencies and duty cycles that mimic physiologic flow rates and pulsatility while operating in an efficient manner that avoids thrombus formation, hemolysis and/or platelet activation.

A blood pump for causing blood to flow in one direction is used for a blood oxidation system that circulates blood in a body to an oxidizer so as to supply oxygen into the body from outside the body. The blood pump includes an outer wall having a gas outlet port formed through a lateral surface thereof; a blood chamber having a pouch which is inserted into the outer wall and of which opposite ends are connected to opposite ends of the outer wall, respectively; a pump injection valve fluid-communicably coupled to one end of the blood chamber and blocking blood from flowing to the blood chamber; and a pump discharge valve fluid-communicably coupled to the other end of the blood chamber and blocking blood from flowing from the blood chamber.

An implantable pump includes a rigid housing with an oblate spheroid shape and having an inner chamber divided by a movable elastomeric membrane into a gas sub-chamber which is connectible through a drive line to an external pneumatic source, and a blood sub-chamber which is connectible through a graft assembly to an anatomical heart. The housing includes a blood port opening oriented at an angle and at the upper apex of the housing and connected to the blood sub-chamber, and a gas port opening to the gas sub-chamber that is situated at a lower apex of the housing. The pump is provided with a drive line that includes a gas conduit and a heart sensor, the drive line connectible to a drive system that is capable of delivering gas flow through the drive line gas conduit in response to signals driven by the heart sensor.

An implantable pump includes a rigid housing with an oblate spheroid shape and having an inner chamber divided by a movable elastomeric membrane into a gas sub-chamber which is connectible through a drive line to an external pneumatic source, and a blood sub-chamber which is connectible through a graft assembly to an anatomical heart. The housing includes a blood port opening oriented at an angle and at the upper apex of the housing and connected to the blood sub-chamber, and a gas port opening to the gas sub-chamber that is situated at a lower apex of the housing. The pump is provided with a drive line that includes a gas conduit and a heart sensor, the drive line connectible to a drive system that is capable of delivering gas flow through the drive line gas conduit in response to signals driven by the heart sensor.

A blood ultrafiltration system comprises a blood filter with first and second compartments separated by a semipermeable membrane. Blood input and blood output lines are connected in fluid communication with the first compartment. An effluent line is connected in fluid communication with the second compartment. A peristaltic pump is arranged for repeated engagement with first and second line segments. In a first arrangement, the first line segment is part of the blood input line or the blood output line and the second line segment is part of the effluent line. In a second arrangement, the first line segment is part of the blood input line and the second line segment is part of the blood output line. The system is operable, by the peristaltic pump, to pump blood through the blood filter and control the extraction of ultrafiltrate in the blood filter.

A pump cassette is disclosed. The pump cassette includes a housing having at least one fluid inlet line and at least one fluid outlet line. The cassette also includes at least one reciprocating pressure displacement membrane pump within the housing. The pressure pump pumps a fluid from the fluid inlet line to the fluid outlet line. A hollow spike is also included on the housing as well as at least one metering pump. The metering pump is fluidly connected to the hollow spike on the housing and to a metering pump fluid line. The metering pump fluid line is fluidly connected to the fluid outlet line.

A pump cassette is disclosed. The pump cassette includes a housing having at least one fluid inlet line and at least one fluid outlet line. The cassette also includes at least one reciprocating pressure displacement membrane pump within the housing. The pressure pump pumps a fluid from the fluid inlet line to the fluid outlet line. A hollow spike is also included on the housing as well as at least one metering pump. The metering pump is fluidly connected to the hollow spike on the housing and to a metering pump fluid line. The metering pump fluid line is fluidly connected to the fluid outlet line.