Abstract: An impeller includes a hub and at least one blade supported by the hub. The impeller has a stored configuration in which the blade is compressed so that its distal end moves towards the hub, and a deployed configuration in which the blade extends away from the hub. The impeller may be part of a pump for pumping fluids, such as pumping blood within a patient. A blood pump may include a cannula having a proximal portion with a fixed diameter, and a distal portion with an expandable diameter. The impeller may reside in the expandable portion of the cannula. The cannula may have a compressed diameter which allows it to be inserted percutaneously into a patient. Once at a desired location, the expandable portion of the cannula may be expanded and the impeller expanded to the deployed configuration. A flexible drive shaft may extend through the cannula for rotationally driving the impeller within the patient's body.

Abstract: A heart assist device connection system comprises an inflow connector in fluid-tight communication with an inflow section of a heart assist device. The connector is configured to be releasably connected to an inlet extension inserted into a patient's ventricle. The connector has one or more recesses configured to match a protrusion on the inlet extension. The system also comprises an outflow connector in fluid communication with an outflow section of the heart assist device. The outflow connector is configured to be releasably connected to a conduit attached-to the patient's vasculature.

Abstract: Various “contactless” bearing mechanisms including hydrodynamic and magnetic bearings are provided for a rotary pump as alternatives to mechanical contact bearings. In one embodiment, a pump apparatus includes a pump housing defining a pumping chamber. The housing has a spindle extending into the pumping chamber. A spindle magnet assembly includes first and second magnets disposed within the spindle. The first and second magnets are arranged proximate each other with their respective magnetic vectors opposing each other. The lack of mechanical contact bearings enables longer life pump operation and less damage to working fluids such as blood.

Abstract: An axial flow rotary blood pump including an impeller (5) adapted to be magnetically rotated within a housing by the interaction of magnets disposed on or in the impeller and stators disposed on or in the housing. The impeller includes at least one support ring (2) supporting a plurality of blades (4), and a hydrodynamic bearing (3) that operates at least axially and radially in respect of an axis of rotation of the impeller (5).

Abstract: A multilayer composite vascular access graft and a method of constructing such a graft are disclosed. The mcVAG has improved performance characteristics, which include desirable handling characteristics such as ease of suturing, kink resistance and the ability to serve as a cannulation route soon after the implant procedure.

Abstract: A stent that can be made of self-expandable members and balloon expandable members is described. The members can be held together by a polymer layer, polymer rings or discreet polymer connectors. Methods of making and using the stent are also described.

Abstract: Various “contactless” bearing mechanisms including hydrodynamic and magnetic bearings are provided for a rotary pump as alternatives to mechanical contact bearings. In one embodiment, a pump apparatus includes a pump housing defining a pumping chamber. The housing has a spindle extending into the pumping chamber. A spindle magnet assembly includes first and second magnets disposed within the spindle. The first and second magnets are arranged proximate each other with their respective magnetic vectors opposing each other. The lack of mechanical contact bearings enables longer life pump operation and less damage to working fluids such as blood.

Abstract: An extracardiac pumping for supplementing the circulation of blood, including the cardiac output, in a patient without any component thereof being connected to the patient's heart, and methods of using same. One embodiment provides a vascular graft that has a first end that is sized and configured to couple to a non-primary blood vessel and a second end that is fluidly coupled to a pump to conduct blood between the pump and the non-primary blood vessel. An outflow conduit is also provided that has a first end sized and configured to be positioned within the same or different blood vessel, whether primary or non-primary, through the vascular graft. The outflow conduit is fluidly coupled to the pump to conduct blood between the pump and the patient. The vascular graft may be connected to the blood vessel subcutaneously to permit application of the extracardiac pumping system in a minimally-invasive procedure.

Abstract: A carrier system for carrying medical device accessories includes a first battery pouch to enclose at least a portion of a first battery and a garment to be worn about a torso. The garment including a plurality of accessory connection features adapted to allow for adjustable attachment of at least the first battery pouch and for adjustable attachment of a medical device controller that is electrically connected to a medical device.

Abstract: Various “contactless” bearing mechanisms including hydrodynamic, hydrostatic, and magnetic bearings are provided for a rotary pump as alternatives to mechanical contact bearings. These design features may be combined. In one embodiment, a pump housing has a spindle extending from a wall of the pump housing into a pumping chamber defined by the pump housing. The spindle has a stepped portion adjacent the wall. In one embodiment, the stepped portion is defined by a change in spindle diameter. The lack of mechanical contact bearings enables longer life pump operation and less damage to working fluids such as blood.

Abstract: A multilayer composite vascular access graft and a method of constructing such a graft are disclosed. The mcVAG has improved performance characteristics, which include desirable handling characteristics such as ease of suturing, kink resistance and the ability to serve as a cannulation route soon after the implant procedure.

Abstract: A stent that can be made of self-expandable members and balloon expandable members is described. The members can be held together by a polymer layer, polymer rings or discreet polymer connectors. Methods of making and using the stent are also described.

Abstract: A blood pump may be adapted to sense the onset of left ventricular collapse by monitoring a pulsatility index, and may adjust the pump speed to maintain the index at a setpoint. The pulsatility index may be measured by the amount of difference between the maximum and the minimum volume of flow through the pump during a particular time period. The setpoint may be increased when the onset of ventricular collapse is detected, for example, when the pulsatility index falls suddenly. The setpoint may be decreased incrementally when the onset of ventricular collapse has not been detected for a period of time, such as for a particular period of time since the last detection of the onset of ventricular collapse.

Abstract: A vascular graft, such as an AAA stent graft, includes a core zone of PET fabric with a non-porous coating comprising a polyurethane, such as Thoralon®, disposed on at least one surface. The coating provides a barrier to prevent short and long term leakage of fluids through the pores of the PET fabric core zone. A method for sealing the pores of a porous PET graft includes the step of coating at least one surface of said graft with at least one polyurethane, or mixtures and combinations thereof. Preferably, the coating is Thoralon®. A method for making a vascular prosthesis includes the steps of providing a core zone of PET fabric, and coating at least one surface of the core zone with at least one polyurethane, or mixtures and combinations thereof, such as Thoralon®. Finally, a method of repairing or treating a defective vessel includes the step of reinforcing or replacing the defective vessel with a graft according to the invention.

Abstract: A bypass graft includes a tubular portion having an internal tubular diameter and a first end and a second end. The tubular portion has a central axis. A flared portion has an adjoining end, wherein the adjoining end of the flared portion is integrally formed on and is substantially concentric with the second end of the tubular portion, and a flared end, wherein the flared end has a flared end internal diameter, such that the internal flared end diameter is greater than the internal tubular diameter. The flared portion includes a circumferential skirt for surgical attachment of the graft to a patient's blood vessel.

Abstract: An implanted medical apparatus and external power source use the same coils for energy transfer to the implanted medical device as used for transmission of control signals from the implanted device. In one example, implanted circuitry generates a feedback control signal indicative of the load voltage level of a load-generating medical device and superimposes the feedback signal on an inductor capacitor (LC) tank circuit for detection by the external powering apparatus. The external powering apparatus uses the feedback signal to control the energy transfer to the implanted medical device, thus regulating the load voltage at the load-generating medical device. The feedback control signal may be a sequence of pulses whose frequency indicates the load voltage level. Other information besides load voltage level may also be transmitted from the implanted device, such as telemetry and logic information.

Abstract: A stent-graft made of at least three concentric layers is disclosed. The inner and outer layers can be porous. The middle layer can be non-porous and encompasses a stent.

Abstract: A device, system and method for transcutaneous energy transfer (TET). Implanted circuitry suitable for conditioning the power delivered transcutaneously may be constructed in planar fashion, may be located in or near an implanted coil, and may be oriented such that the plane of the circuitry is substantially tangent to the lines of magnetic flux. The orientation of the circuitry may reduce eddy currents and their potentially harmful effects.