Abstract: A connector for connecting an implant device to tissue of a person's body. The connector including a frame having first and second arms. The first and second arms define an opening, where at least a portion of the implant device is inserted through the opening. After insertion, an additional securing member is connected to the frame. The securing member is adapted to receive at least one suture to secure the frame to the tissue. The connector includes an adjuster that is movably connected to the first and second arms, where the adjuster is operable to cause the first and second arms to move toward each other and engage the implant device.

Abstract: An axial-flow blood pump includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet opposite therefrom. An impeller located within the housing is suspended during operation by magnetic forces between magnets or magnetized regions of the impeller and a motor stator surrounding the housing, and hydrodynamic thrust forces generated by a flow of blood between the housing and a plurality of hydrodynamic thrust bearing surfaces located on the impeller. A volute may be in fluid-tight connection with the outlet of the housing for receiving blood in the axial direction and directing blood in a direction normal to the axial direction. The volute has a flow-improving member extending axially from the volute and into the housing in a coaxial direction of the housing.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a method of positioning in a mammalian heart of a patient a blood pump including an inflow cannula, a pump housing and an outflow cannula, the method including forming an incision in a low-pressure location on the heart wall; passing the outflow cannula of the blood pump through the incision and into a left ventricle of a heart; positioning a tip of a guidewire into an aorta, distal to an aortic valve; advancing the tip through the aortic valve and into the left ventricle; connecting the tip to the outflow cannula; pulling the blood pump with the guidewire to advance at least a portion of the outflow cannula through the aortic valve and into the aorta; securing the blood pump to the heart, the aorta, or both; disconnecting the tip from the blood pump; and removing the guidewire from the patient.

Abstract: A holder for a housing of an electronic device includes an extruded metal portion adapted to receive the housing and a securement element that is either mounted to the extruded metal portion or integral with the extruded metal portion. The securement element is adapted to secure the housing in the extruded metal portion.

Abstract: A tunneling device for creating a pathway in subcutaneous tissue of a person's body. The tunneling device includes a member having two ends, where each of the ends defines an insertion surface that facilitates the insertion of the ends into the subcutaneous tissue of the person's body. The tunneling device includes an interchangeable handle connectable to each of the ends. The handle defines a grasping surface and an opening. The opening is configured to receive either of the ends. The grasping surface enables a user to securely hold the handle with one hand to forcibly move the member through the subcutaneous tissue of the person's body to create the pathway in the subcutaneous tissue, and pull a cable of an implant device through the created pathway.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a module for relaying power wirelessly to a device implanted in a user. The module may include a structure adapted to be worn by the user, a receiver configured to receive a first wireless power transmission at a first frequency, a transmitter configured to transmit a second wireless power transmission at a second frequency different from the first frequency, and a frequency changer configured to convert energy generated by the first wireless power transmission into energy for generating the second wireless power transmission. Each of the receiver, transmitter and frequency changer may be disposed on or in the structure.

Abstract: A flow rate of blood through an implantable blood pump is determined based on a parameter related to the flow, such as a parameter related to thrust on the rotor of the pump. An amount of current supplied to the pump is used to determine each of a first flow rate value and second flow rate values. Each of the first and second flow rate values, in combination with the parameter related to thrust on the rotor of the pump, are used to calculate a flow rate of blood through the pump.

Abstract: A method of implanting a blood pump in a heart of a mammalian subject includes maintaining a temporary plug in an inlet opening of a pump having a pump body and an outlet cannula projecting from the pump body, advancing the pump into a ventricle of the heart through a hole in a wall of the heart so that the inlet of the pump is disposed within the ventricle and the outlet cannula extends through a valve of the heart into an artery, and then withdrawing the temporary plug from the inlet of the pump.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a percutaneous skin connector including a base and a cap. The base has a channel extending through it and a plurality of base magnets are positioned around the channel and exposed at a base surface. A skirt which allows tissue ingrowth extends from the base to further secure the base to the patient. The connector also includes a cap with a bore extending through it and a plurality of cap magnets positioned around the bore and exposed at a cap surface. The base magnets and cap magnets attract and align the cap surface to the base surface. The connector further includes a release mechanism adapted to at least partially separate the cap from the base when the cap is rotated relative to the base and out of alignment with the base.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides for each of a method of characterizing divergence of a monitored flow rate of blood through an implantable blood pump, and a method of predicting an upcoming adverse cardiac event using operating data of the blood pump, such as the characterized divergence data. Predicting an upcoming adverse cardiac event may be further based on similar operating data from a plurality of other implantable blood pumps.

Abstract: A ventricular assist device incorporating a rotary pump configured to be in fluid communication with a heart and systemic circulation of a subject to assist blood flow from the heart to the systemic circulation. The device includes a pump drive circuit for applying power to the pump, one or more sensors for sensing one or more electrogram signals (such as subcutaneous pre-cordial electrode signals) in the patient, and a signal processing circuit to determine the presence or absence of a reduction in cardiac blood flow, ischemic condition or myocardial infarction condition based on subcutaneous pre-cordial electrode signals, to control power supplied to the pump from the pump drive circuit, and to operate the pump in either a normal sinus rhythm mode in the absence of an ischemic condition or myocardial infarction condition, or a modified mode of operation in the presence of an ischemic condition or myocardial infarction condition.

Abstract: Various blood pumps and methods of manufacture therefor are disclosed. An embodiment of a blood pump comprises a blood-flow lumen having an inlet and an outlet, and a rotor within the blood-flow lumen, the rotor having an impeller for pumping blood through the blood pump. A motor is also provided including a plurality of magnetic poles carried by the rotor, and a stator including a plurality of electrically conductive coils adjacent to and at least partially surrounding the blood-flow lumen. An over-molded monolithic enclosure covers the stator, the enclosure at least partially sealingly enclosing the stator and encasing the blood-flow lumen.

Abstract: A blood pump incorporating a rotary pump such as a rotary impeller pump implantable in fluid communication with a ventricle and an artery to assist blood flow from the ventricle to the artery. The device may include a pump drive circuit supplying power to the pump, one or more sensors for sensing one or more electrophysiological signals such as subcutaneous, pre-cordial ECG signals and a signal processing circuit connected to the sensors and to the pump drive circuit. The signal processing circuit is operative to detect the sensor signals and control power supplied to the pump from the pump drive circuit so that the pump may run in a normal sinus rhythm mode, with a varying speed synchronized with the cardiac cycle. When an ischemic or myocardial infarction condition is detected, the pump drive circuit may also run the pump in an ischemia or myocardial infarction mode different from the normal sinus rhythm mode.

Abstract: A ventricular assist device incorporating a rotary pump, such as a rotary impeller pump is implantable in fluid communication with a ventricle and an artery to assist blood flow from the ventricle to the artery. The device includes a pump drive circuit supplying power to the pump, one or more sensors for sensing one or more electrophysiological signals such as electrogram signals in and a signal processing circuit connected to the sensors and the pump drive circuit. The signal processing circuit is operative to detect the sensor signals and control power supplied to the pump from the pump drive circuit so that the pump runs in a pulsatile mode, with a varying speed synchronized with the cardiac cycle so that it operates in copulsation or counterpulsation with the cycle. The cardiac cycle for purposes of synchronization can also be based on an average of two or more cardiac cycles.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a tubular member defining a lumen and a channel, and a support member. The tubular member has a connection portion configured to be coupled to an organ wall. An outer edge of the connection portion is configured to contact a first portion of an inner surface of the wall when the connection portion is in an expanded configuration such that an interior volume of the organ is in fluid communication with the lumen. The support member is movably disposed within the channel and is configured to minimize movement of the wall relative to the tubular member. An end portion of the support member is disposed within the channel when the support member is in a first configuration. The end portion of the support member configured to contact a second portion of the inner surface of the wall when the support member is in a second configuration.

Abstract: A ventricular assist device incorporating a rotary pump, such as a rotary impeller pump is implantable in fluid communication with a ventricle and an artery to assist blood flow from the ventricle to the artery. The device includes a pump drive circuit supplying power to the pump, one or more sensors for sensing one or more electrophysiological signals such as electrogram signals in and a signal processing circuit connected to the sensors and the pump drive circuit. The signal processing circuit is operative to detect the sensor signals and control power supplied to the pump from the pump drive circuit so that the pump runs in a pulsatile mode, with a varying speed synchronized with the cardiac cycle. When an arrhythmia is detected, the pump drive circuit may also run the pump in an atrial arrhythmia mode or a ventricular arrhythmia mode different from the normal pulsatile mode.

Abstract: One aspect of an intravascular ventricular assist device is an implantable blood pump where the pump includes a housing defining a bore having an axis, one or more rotors disposed within the bore, each rotor including a plurality of magnetic poles, and one or more stators surrounding the bore for providing a magnetic field within the bore to induce rotation of each of the one or more rotors. Another aspect of the invention includes methods of providing cardiac assistance to a mammalian subject as, for example, a human. Further aspects of the invention include rotor bodies having helical channels formed longitudinally along the length of the body of the rotor where each helical channel is formed between peripheral support surface areas facing radially outwardly and extending generally in circumferential directions around the rotational axis of the rotor.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, is a blood pump for intraventricular placement inside a heart of a mammalian subject including a rigid elongate member having a length between proximal and distal ends and a bore extending along the length, an anchor element connected towards the proximal end of the rigid elongate member and mounted to the subject's heart, a pump having an inlet and an outlet, a rotor and at least one electric drive coil for magnetically driving the rotor, the pump connected at or adjacent to the distal end of the rigid elongate member remote from the anchor element and wiring extending through the bore to the pump, wherein the proximal end of the rigid elongate member extends past the anchor element to a position outside of the subject's heart. Additional embodiments of a blood pump, and various methods of intraventricular placement inside a heart of a mammalian subject are also considered.

Abstract: A blood pump with an integrated flow sensor is provided. The blood pump may include an implantable pump for pumping blood having a housing, a flow path extending within the housing and at least one movable element within the housing for impelling blood along the flow path and a sensor for measuring the flow rate of blood through the pump. According to one embodiment, the sensor may be mounted to the housing of the pump. In accordance with a further embodiment, the housing may have an exterior surface defining a cavity, and the sensor may be located within the cavity.

Abstract: A rotor for an axial-flow blood pump has blades projecting outwardly from a hub and channels between the blades. The blades incorporate hydrodynamic bearing surfaces capable of suspending the rotor during operation. The rotor has a configuration which provides superior pumping action and reduced shear of blood passing through the pump. The forwardly facing pressure surfaces of the blades may include outflow corner surface at their downstream ends. The outflow corner surfaces desirably slope rearwardly and intersect the rearwardly-facing suction surfaces of the blades at outflow ends of the blades.