A medical device is adapted for use in assisting with mechanical thrombectomy. The medical device may include a housing that is adapted to be held within a user's hand and a pump that is secured within the housing. A fluid inlet is adapted to receive fluid that is pulled towards the pump and is fluidly coupled with the pump. A fluid outlet is adapted to expel fluid away from the pump and is fluidly coupled with the pump. As the pump is operated by the user, fluid is alternatively pulled into the fluid inlet and expelled through the fluid outlet. In some cases, the fluid may be blood or other bodily fluids.

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 ventricle unloading device intended to be implanted inside a patient's blood vessel portion through which a blood flow circulates. The device includes: a stator, a rotor arranged around the stator, the rotor having a driving impeller and a impeller engine, the impeller being an unducted impeller aimed at rotating freely within the blood vessel portion, and a static anchoring element displaying a circular part which is configured to extend around the impeller. The circular part of the static anchoring element defines a circulation area intended to contain the entire blood flow circulating through the blood vessel portion, the activation of the rotor is a pulsatile activation, and the activation is synchronized with the patient's heart contraction.

A device to reduce left ventricle afterload in a target blood vessel in a mammal includes a cushion configured for positioning within a lumen of the target blood vessel and receipt of a fluid and configured to contract during systole and expand during diastole, a reservoir having a cavity for receiving the fluid, and a conduit extending between and fluidically coupling the cushion and the reservoir, whereby during use fluid in the cushion is transferred to the reservoir during systole and returned to the cushion during diastole. The cushion has an annular cross section defining a central lumen for blood flow and is configured for positioning in the lumen of the target vessel abutting an inner wall of the target vessel, whereby during use blood flow is directed through the central lumen of the cushion.

The cardiovascular device (1) comprises a diaphragm assembly designed to be inserted into a ventricular cavity (VS) substantially transverse in order to reduce its volume, said diaphragm assembly having a peripheral edge (2B) that can be sealingly engaged on the walls (5) of the cavity 7 and being alternately driven between an active blood thrust position and an inactive position, said assembly being at least partially deformable in response to contractions of the walls (5) and comprising a balloon-shaped elastic body (2; 100; 200; 300; 400) which has an external surface (2A; 103) that defines and encloses an internal cavity (CI; CI2) and which can be configured between a gathered position of minimum bulk, an everted position of maximum bulk and vice-versa, at least one mobile portion (3; 3′) of the peripheral surface which is disposed transverse/diagonal and which is surrounded by the peripheral edge and at least one aperture (3A) for access from the outside to the internal cavity (CI; CI2).

Methods and devices for a self-contained device including a hydraulic motor and a hydraulic pump. Preferably, the motor is incorporated either within the interior of the pump, on the exterior of the pump, or a combination of the two. The pump increases the kinetic energy of the fluid by centrifugal means, and in some embodiments is a viscous impeller pump. Applications include building flow systems, industrial processes, and biological circulatory systems.

Methods and devices for a self-contained device including a hydraulic motor and a hydraulic pump. Preferably, the motor is incorporated either within the interior of the pump, on the exterior of the pump, or a combination of the two. The pump increases the kinetic energy of the fluid by centrifugal means, and in some embodiments is a viscous impeller pump. Applications include building flow systems, industrial processes, and biological circulatory systems.

An implantable, body-driven shunt pump includes a pump body defining a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and a fluid chamber therebetween; an inlet valve arranged in the fluid inlet, the inlet valve being a one-way valve arranged such that it is operable to allow fluid flow into the fluid chamber and to prevent fluid flow out of the fluid chamber; and an outlet valve arranged in the fluid outlet, the outlet valve being a one-way valve arranged such that it is operable to allow fluid flow out of the fluid chamber and to prevent fluid flow into the fluid chamber. The pump body includes an expandable and contractible component in a portion of the pump body that defines the fluid chamber such that the fluid chamber changes volume in response to a change in pressure of fluid in the fluid chamber.

The present invention is related to a stretchable tubular device (1) comprising at least one layer (Lx) of a stretchable polymer, a power supply (2) and a set of electrodes (3a, 3b) connected to said power supply (2). The power supply can supply at least a first level of voltage (V1) to the electrodes so as to modify the natural force (F0) of the stretchable layers to a modified force (F1). The present invention also covers a process for manufacturing such a tubular device and its use as a medical implant.

A method for repairing a heart includes identifying a heart of a patient as having a reduced ejection fraction. In response to the identifying, wall stress of a ventricle of the heart is reduced by implanting apparatus that facilitates cyclical moving of fluid that is not blood of the patient into and out of the ventricle of the heart. During ventricular diastole, a volume of the fluid is moved into the ventricle in a manner that produces a corresponding decrease in a total volume of blood that fills the ventricle during diastole. During ventricular systole, the volume of the fluid is moved out of the ventricle in a manner that produces a corresponding decrease in a total volume of the ventricle during isovolumetric contraction of the ventricle. Other embodiments are also described.