Abstract: A control system for a cardiac assist device includes a sensor implantable in the body at the heart or at an implanted pump of the cardiac assist device, the sensor being for detecting motion of the pump within the body and hence being for monitoring movement of the pump, where the control system is arranged to, in use: receive signals from the sensor, the signals providing information on the movement of the pump; and to process the signals to monitor the pump speed and/or to identify pump malfunction and/or cardiac assist treatment complications.

Abstract: An approach for determining an estimated pressure curve for the ventricle of the heart, the method comprising: using data from a motion sensor that has been implanted at the heart to determine the timing of heart cycle events; scaling a reference pressure-time curve including timing of reference heart cycle events in order to fit the reference pressure-time curve to the motion sensor data, the scaling comprising scaling the reference curve along the time axis to fit it to the measured timing of the heart cycle events; and thereby obtaining an estimated pressure-time curve in the form of the scaled reference pressure-time curve.

Abstract: A method of estimating a value associated with heart wall tension. The method comprises: using motion data recorded with a sensor in communication with the heart to identify motion in the heart; and estimating a value associated with heart wall tension based on the identified motion in the heart. The motion in the heart that forms the basis of the estimation may be a vibration in the heart wall. A heat monitoring system for carrying out the method of estimating a value associated with heart wall tension comprises a sensor configured to be placed in communication with the heart in order to identify motion in the heart; and a data processing device arranged to receive motion data from the sensor and to then carry out the steps of the method.

Abstract: An approach for determining an estimated pressure curve for the ventricle of the heart, the method comprising: using data from a motion sensor that has been implanted at the heart to determine the timing of heart cycle events; scaling a reference pressure-time curve including timing of reference heart cycle events in order to fit the reference pressure-time curve to the motion sensor data, the scaling comprising scaling the reference curve along the time axis to fit it to the measured timing of the heart cycle events; and thereby obtaining an estimated pressure-time curve in the form of the scaled reference pressure-time curve.

Abstract: An apparatus for securing a sensor at the heart is formed based on a modified, branched, pacemaker lead to provide a heart anchor lead where two anchors are coupled to a single main lead rather than there being just a single anchor. Thus, the proposed heart anchor lead comprises a single main lead, a sensor included within the main lead, in which the sensor has a distal end and a proximal end, a first anchor coupled to the distal end of the sensor and extending outward from the distal end of the sensor, and a second anchor coupled to the proximal end of the sensor and extending outward from the proximal end of the sensor in a direction that forms an angle with the first anchor. The heart anchor lead can optionally also have a pacemaking function.