Abstract: A surgical tunneler assembly is used to pass a cable or other elongate member through the skin. A surgical tunneler may include a lance including a first segment, a second end segment, and a connector on each one of the first end segment and the second end segment. A cable adapter includes a lance connection portion and a cable connection portion. The lance connection portion engages and disengages the connectors. The cable connection portion engages and disengages a cable. A handle engages and disengages the lance.

Abstract: A blood pump includes a hub having an axis of rotation and a generally cylindrical shape. The hub has an upstream end region, a central region, and a downstream end region, and the hub includes a magnetic material. Blades that are disposed on the downstream end region of the hub extend downstream of the hub.

Abstract: A blood pump includes a hub having an axis of rotation and a generally cylindrical shape. The hub has an upstream end region, a central region, and a downstream end region, and the hub includes a magnetic material. Blades that are disposed on the downstream end region of the hub extend downstream of the hub.

Abstract: A surgical tunneler assembly is used to pass a cable or other elongate member through the skin. A surgical tunneler may include a lance including a first segment, a second end segment, and a connector on each one of the first end segment and the second end segment. A cable adapter includes a lance connection portion and a cable connection portion. The lance connection portion engages and disengages the connectors. The cable connection portion engages and disengages a cable. A handle engages and disengages the lance.

Abstract: A blood pump includes a hub having an axis of rotation and a generally cylindrical shape. The hub has an upstream end region, a central region, and a downstream end region, and the hub includes a magnetic material. Blades that are disposed on the downstream end region of the hub extend downstream of the hub.

Abstract: A blood pump includes a rotor having a flared portion downstream proximate a downstream bearing that supports the rotor. The flared portion of the rotor includes a width greater than a width of an upstream portion of the rotor. A blood pump also includes a housing having an internal wall with a flared portion downstream of a motor stator and proximate a transverse outlet.

Abstract: A blood pump includes a rotor having a flared portion downstream proximate a downstream bearing that supports the rotor. The flared portion of the rotor includes a width greater than a width of an upstream portion of the rotor. A blood pump also includes a housing having an internal wall with a flared portion downstream of a motor stator and proximate a transverse outlet.

Abstract: A surgical tunneler assembly is used to pass a cable or other elongate member through the skin. A surgical tunneler may include a lance including a first segment, a second end segment, and a connector on each one of the first end segment and the second end segment. A cable adapter includes a lance connection portion and a cable connection portion. The lance connection portion engages and disengages the connectors. The cable connection portion engages and disengages a cable. A handle engages and disengages the lance.

Abstract: A blood pump includes a hub having an axis of rotation and a generally cylindrical shape. The hub has an upstream end region, a central region, and a downstream end region, and the hub includes a magnetic material. Blades that are disposed on the downstream end region of the hub extend downstream of the hub.

Abstract: A blood pump includes a rotor having a flared portion downstream proximate a downstream bearing that supports the rotor. The flared portion of the rotor includes a width greater than a width of an upstream portion of the rotor. A blood pump also includes a housing having an internal wall with a flared portion downstream of a motor stator and proximate a transverse outlet.

Abstract: A motor rotor assembly for use in a blood pump can include a motor rotor disposed within a blood flow conduit, an inflow bearing having an inflow ball-and-cup bearing interface disposed within the blood flow conduit proximal to an inflow port of the blood flow conduit, and an outflow bearing having an outflow ball-and-cup bearing interface disposed within the blood flow conduit proximal to an outflow port of the blood flow conduit. The motor can be rotatably mounted between the inflow bearing and the outflow bearing and an outer diameter of the outflow ball-and-cup bearing interface can be larger than an outer diameter of the inflow ball-and-cup bearing interface. A motor rotor assembly for use in a blood pump incorporating aspects of the invention may improve performance, reliability and longevity of the pump. A blood pump incorporating a motor rotor can further include a motor stator. These rotors and pumps can be used in both implantable and extracorporeal blood pumps.

Abstract: The invention provides an axial flow blood pump with slanting outflow components. Specifically, the invention provides a blood pump having an angling outer stator blade edge structure in combination with a blood flow conduit having a constricting inner diameter. After constricting, the blood flow conduit can expand such that the inner diameter of the conduit increases. In addition, the blood pump can have an angling inner stator blade edge structure and a tapering stator blade hub or tapering rotor element.

Abstract: A centrifugal blood pump features a pump assembly including a cylindrical barrel insertable into a motor stator. The barrel contains a motor rotor which is directly coupled to the pump's impeller. The barrel can be oriented and locked in the motor stator in many different angular orientations. Hemolysis is prevented in spite of high speed operation by reducing the clearance between the impeller and the impeller chamber, rounding the edges of the impeller blades, and providing a deflector to prevent blood from being impelled more than once around the impeller chamber periphery. An efficient releasable locking mechanism is also disclosed, as is a preferred method of assembling the pump assembly with close tolerances.

Abstract: A Braille mouse uses a character-code carrying member such as a disc, belt or drum to selectively raise Braille pins with a single solenoid. The Braille pins are provided with eccentric fingers which interact with a character-code carrying member, so that the character codes can be arranged in straight radial lines to allow all possible six-pin Braille symbols to be provided on a member of minimum size.