Abstract: Systems and designs for tuning a wireless power transfer system are provided, which may include any number of features. In one embodiment, a wireless power transfer system can be configured such that resonant frequencies of the system move towards an operating frequency of the system as a coupling coefficient between the transmit and receive resonators becomes smaller. In another embodiment, a receive controller can be configured to control a current delivered to a DC load by comparing an actual current at the DC load to a current requested by the DC load and adjusting an angle or a magnitude of a voltage at the DC load to match the requested current. In another embodiment, a rectifier circuit can act as a controlled voltage source and be configured to tune resonant frequencies between the transmit resonator and the receive resonator. Methods of use are also provided.

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 catheter pump assembly is provided that includes a proximal a distal portion, a catheter body, an impeller, and a flow modifying structure. The catheter body has a lumen that extends along a longitudinal axis between the proximal and distal portions. The impeller is disposed at the distal portion. The impeller includes a blade with a trailing edge. The flow modifying structure is disposed downstream of the impeller. The flow modifying structure has a plurality of blades having a leading edge substantially parallel to and in close proximity to the trailing edge of the blade of the impeller and an expanse extending downstream from the leading edge. In some embodiments, the expanse has a first region with higher curvature and a second region with lower curvature. The first region is between the leading edge and the second region.

Abstract: In one general aspect, a cuff for attachment to a heart includes an attachment component configured to engage a blood pump to attach the cuff to the blood pump and a sewing ring for attachment to the heart. The sewing ring is coupled to the attachment component, and the attachment component and the sewing ring each define a central opening configured to admit an inflow cannula of a blood pump. The sewing ring comprises a member that provides rigidity to flatten a portion of a myocardium of the heart when the cuff is attached to the heart.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods relating to interfacing and controlling external batteries are described. In one embodiment, an external battery is integrated with a touch screen display. In one embodiment, the external battery provides an infrared communication link with a detachable device or system controller. In one embodiment, the external battery touch screen interface provides data received from a detachable device or system controller.

Abstract: A blood pump system for left ventricle assist has an implantable pump unit having a multiphase stator having a plurality of windings connected between respective junctions for forming first, second, and third phases. An external control unit comprises an H-bridge inverter having first, second, and third phase legs. A percutaneous cable is provided having first, second, and third parallel pairs of redundant conductors. Each conductor pair is connected between a respective phase leg and a respective junction. The conductors are arranged concentrically around a cable core so that individual conductors of each pair are separated by at least one conductor of a different conductor pair.

Abstract: An implantable medical pump system can include a blood pump comprising a pump housing defining a passage therethrough and a rotor within the passage. The blood pump further includes one or more elements at least partially contained within the housing adapted to actuate the rotor to drive fluid though the passage. The pump housing includes at least one coupling feature. The system further includes an inflow cannula defining a lumen therethrough. The inflow cannula is adapted to be mechanically coupled to the at least one coupling feature.

Abstract: A protective cap for fluidly sealing a connector of a cable is provided. The protective cap includes a flexible body having an interior cavity with a distal opening through which the connector is inserted. The distal opening is defined by an annular ridge that engages a cable portion proximal the connector to fluidly seal the entire connector within the cavity. The body portion may have an oval-shaped cross-section while the interior cavity is cylindrical so that the portions wider portions of the body provide longitudinal rigidity to facilitate installation and removal of the cap by a manual pushing and pulling. A tether may be included to attach the cap to a distal portion of the cable. The protective cap and tether may be integrally formed of a soft, highly flexible material to improve ease of use, biocompatibility and patient comfort.

Abstract: A bearing assembly for use in a blood pump includes a first component that has a convex bearing surface and a first outer surface proximate the convex bearing surface. The bearing assembly includes a second component that a concave bearing surface and a second outer surface proximate the concave bearing surface, the concave bearing surface being configured to receive the convex bearing surface. A plurality of grooves are defined through the convex bearing surface and first outer surface or through the concave bearing surface and the second outer surface.

Abstract: In one general aspect, an implant includes a cuff defining an opening configured to receive a cannula coupled to a heart pump. The implant includes a coupling mechanism having a first position and a second position, the cuff being uncoupled from the cannula in the first position and the coupling mechanism coupling the cuff to the cannula in the second position. The implant includes a locking mechanism configured to secure the coupling mechanism in the second position, and the locking mechanism is configured to be moved to a locked position after the coupling mechanism is in the second position.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are heart pumps that can include a catheter body and an impeller coupled with a distal end of the catheter body. The impeller can include a tip that is resealable or that includes a resealable member. The heart pump can also include a diffuser disposed between the distal end of the catheter body and the impeller, wherein the diffuser includes a flow directing surface.

Abstract: A centrifugal blood pump device includes a housing, a centrifugal pump section having an impeller which rotates in the housing to send blood by centrifugal force upon rotation, an impeller rotation torque generation section for attracting a magnetic member of the impeller and rotating the impeller, and a plurality of grooves for hydrodynamic bearing provided on an inner face of the housing on the impeller rotation torque generation section side. A side wall of each of the grooves for hydrodynamic bearing is formed as an inclined side wall inclined obliquely such that the groove for hydrodynamic bearing is expanded from a bottom face of the groove for hydrodynamic bearing toward an opening face of the groove for hydrodynamic bearing.

Abstract: A coupling system includes an applicator tool and an attachment ring mounted on the applicator tool. Clips are contained within the applicator tool and are deployed through the attachment ring in order to anchor the attachment ring to biological tissue. When deployed, tips of the clips follow a curved trajectory through an annular cuff of the attachment ring and through the underlying tissue. The tips loop back out of the tissue and to a location where they are later trapped or clamped by the attachment ring. While the tips are trapped or clamped, the applicator tool cinches the clips by pulling rear segments of the clips. Thereafter, the applicator tool disconnects from the attachment ring which remains anchored to the tissue and serves as a coupling for a cannula. The cannula can have movable lock members that secure it to the attachment ring.

Abstract: The magnetic balance is verified of a magnetically-levitated impeller of a centrifugal pump with a pump housing having levitation magnets. The impeller includes embedded magnets and is movable within a chamber in the pump housing between first and second sides of the chamber. The centrifugal pump is mounted on an acceleration fixture while the impeller is held against a predetermined one of the first and second sides by the levitation magnets. A plurality of predetermined accelerations are applied to the acceleration fixture to exert a plurality of different forces of acceleration on the impeller. A determination is made whether the impeller detaches from the predetermined side as a result of each different force of acceleration to identify adjacent forces for which a transition occurs between detaching and not detaching. The transition is compared with a desired retention force to determine whether the pump achieves magnetic balance.

Abstract: A blood pump apparatus includes a housing having a blood inlet port and blood outlet port, a pump unit including an impeller that rotates within the housing, and an impeller rotational torque generation section. The housing includes a plurality of magnetic members embedded between the impeller and the impeller rotational torque generation section for transmitting a magnetically attractive force generated by the impeller rotational torque generation section to an impeller body. The pump device includes a non-contact bearing mechanism for rotating the impeller without contacting with the inner surface of the housing when the impeller is rotated by the impeller rotational torque generation section.

Abstract: An implantable blood pump includes a housing defining an inlet opening and an outlet opening. Within the housing, a dividing wall defines a blood flow conduit extending between the inlet opening and the outlet opening of the housing. The blood pump has a rotary motor that includes a stator and a rotor. The stator is disposed within the housing circumferentially about the dividing wall such that the inner blood flow conduit extends through the stator.

Abstract: A coupling system includes an applicator tool, an anastomotic prosthesis mounted on the applicator tool, and an engagement device. The applicator tool deploys a securement through the prosthesis and tissue which leaves the prosthesis attached to the tissue. The engagement device selectively engages the applicator tool onto the tissue, with the use of suction, in order to facilitate accurate placement of the prosthesis on the tissue and facilitate deployment of the securement into the tissue. The applicator tool and the tissue are able to move together while the engagement device prevents or inhibits relative movement between the applicator tool and the tissue. A method for securing an anastomotic prosthesis to tissue includes applying of suction to engage an applicator tool to the tissue while a securement is deployed out of the applicator tool and into the prosthesis and the tissue.

Abstract: A method for modifying a pump of a ventricular assist device includes the step of modifying pressure-flow characteristics of a pump of a ventricular assist device to simulate different pressure-flow characteristics or to make the flow rate of the pump more responsive to changes in the pressure differential of the pump. The step of modifying the pressure-flow characteristics of the pump may includes one or both of the steps of (1) estimating a flow rate of the pump from the speed of an electric motor of the ventricular assist device and from the current or power consumption of the electric motor, wherein the electric motor drives the pump, and (2) adjusting the speed of the electric motor as a function of the estimated flow rate of the pump and a set speed of the electric motor to simulate the different pressure-flow characteristics or to make the flow rate of the pump more responsive to changes in the pressure differential of the pump.

Abstract: A system for omni-orientational wireless energy transfer is described. A transmitter unit has a transmitter resonator with a coil that is configured to be coupled to a power supply to wirelessly transmit power to a receiver unit. A receiver unit has a receiver resonator with a coil coupled to a device load. At least one of the resonators is a non-planar resonator that spans a non-degenerate two-dimensional surface having at least one concave portion.