Abstract: A cardiac pump (1) comprising a cardiac pump housing (7), a cardiac pump rotor (8), and a bearing assembly (23), the bearing assembly (23) being configured to support the cardiac pump rotor (8) within the cardiac pump housing (7) for rotation about a rotational axis (A-A) of the rotor (8), wherein the cardiac pump rotor (8) comprises a tip profile having rotational variance about the rotational axis (A-A).

Abstract: A cardiac pump includes a plain bearing assembly having a first plain bearing portion that is coupled to a cardiac pump rotor and a second lain bearing portion that is coupled to a cardiac pump housing. The plain bearing assembly is configured to rotatably support the cardiac pump rotor within the cardiac pump housing in at least an axial direction of the cardiac pump rotor. A magnetic bearing assembly includes a first magnetic bearing portion that is coupled to the cardiac pump rotor and a second magnetic bearing portion that is coupled to the cardiac pump housing. The magnetic bearing assembly is configured to rotatably support the cardiac pump rotor within the cardiac pump housing in a radial direction of the cardiac pump rotor and bias the cardiac pump rotor in the axial direction such that the magnetic bearing assembly provides a preload force to preload the plain bearing assembly.

Abstract: A cardiac pump (1) includes a cardiac pump housing (7) having a blood inlet (9) that is offset from the longitudinal axis of the cardiac pump housing (7).

Abstract: A plain bearing assembly for a cardiac pump, the plain bearing assembly comprising; a rotational portion which, in use, rotates with a cardiac pump rotor, the rotational portion configured to engage a stationary portion of a cardiac pump housing, the stationary portion comprising one or more first bearing surfaces and the rotational portion comprising one or more second bearing surfaces, the one or more second bearing surfaces configured so as to be in contact with the one or more first bearing surfaces, therein defining a bearing interface between the one or more first bearing surfaces and the one or more second bearing surfaces during rotation of the rotational portion, wherein the rotational portion comprises one or more first flow channels configured to interrupt the bearing interface and permit blood to flow between an outside of the plain bearing assembly and a center of the plain bearing assembly.

Abstract: A cardiac pump includes a plain bearing assembly having a first plain bearing portion that is coupled to a cardiac pump rotor and a second plain bearing portion that is coupled to a cardiac pump housing. The plain bearing assembly is configured to rotatably support the cardiac pump rotor within the cardiac pump housing in at least an axial direction of the cardiac pump rotor. A magnetic bearing assembly includes a first magnetic bearing portion that is coupled to the cardiac pump rotor and a second magnetic bearing portion that is coupled to the cardiac pump housing. The magnetic bearing assembly is configured to rotatably support the cardiac pump rotor within the cardiac pump housing in a radial direction of the cardiac pump rotor and bias the cardiac pump rotor in the axial direction such that the magnetic bearing assembly provides a preload force to preload the plain bearing assembly.

Abstract: A plain bearing assembly for a cardiac pump, the plain bearing assembly comprising; a rotational portion which, in use, rotates with a cardiac pump rotor, the rotational portion configured to engage a stationary portion of a cardiac pump housing, the stationary portion comprising one or more first bearing surfaces and the rotational portion comprising one or more second bearing surfaces, the one or more second bearing surfaces configured so as to be in contact with the one or more first bearing surfaces, therein defining a bearing interface between the one or more first bearing surfaces and the one or more second bearing surfaces during rotation of the rotational portion, wherein the rotational portion comprises one or more first flow channels configured to interrupt the bearing interface and permit blood to flow between an outside of the plain bearing assembly and a center of the plain bearing assembly.

Abstract: The cardiac pump, which is suitable for implantation into a ventricle of a human heart, has a primary blood flow path through a housing, a rotatable pump member disposed within the housing for causing blood to flow along the primary flow path, the pump member being rotatably coupled to the housing about an upstream bearing and a downstream bearing. The pump member includes an impeller shroud defining a secondary flow path in fluid communication with the primary flow path. The downstream bearing comprises a rotational bearing member and a stationary bearing seat for the bearing member, there being a circumferential transition between the bearing seat and the bearing member, the circumferential transition being disposed in the secondary flow path and arranged to be washed by blood passing along the secondary flow path.

Abstract: The pump is of an axial flow rotary pump, suitable for implantation into the human heart or vascular system, and comprises an elongate tubular casing (1,2) defining an inlet (4) for blood, an outlet (5) for blood longitudinally spaced from the inlet, and a primary substantially axial blood flow path (6) along the interior of the casing from the inlet to the outlet, the casing including an electric motor stator (7). There is an elongate rotatable element (3) arranged to fit within the casing with spacing between an outer surface of the rotatable element and an inner surface of the casing. The tubular rotatable element comprises an electric motor rotor portion (10) arranged to be driven by the electric motor stator and a rotary impeller (11) for impelling blood along the blood flow path.

Abstract: The apparatus is a ventricular assist device comprising: a pump with a housing having therein radial a impeller, and a rotor for driving the impeller, both the rotor and the impeller being hydrodynamically suspended within the housing in us, the pump further including a stator for driving the rotor; an inlet cannula section arranged to extend from an internal part of the ventricle to straddle the wall of the ventricle, the stator being within the inlet cannula section to be located in the internal part of the ventricle; and an outlet for blood driven by the impeller such that the pump is a radial pump. Both the outlet and the impeller are arranged to reside outside of the heart.

Abstract: The apparatus for implantation into a human heart comprises a pump (1) having an electrical motor (12), an inlet (9) for blood to be located in a first chamber of the heart; an outlet (10) for blood to be located in a second chamber of the heart; fixing means (2) for fixing the apparatus to a wall of the heart with the inlet in the first chamber and the outlet in the second chamber, an elongate conduit (7) which extends from the fixing means to the pump, and an electrical conductor (18) for connecting to the motor, the conductor extending along the conduit.