Abstract: Disclosed is a mechanical circulatory support system for transcatheter delivery to the heart, having a removable guidewire aid to assist with inserting the guidewire along a path that avoids a rotating impeller. The system may comprise a catheter shaft and a circulatory support device carried by the shaft. The device may comprise a tubular housing, an impeller and the guidewire aid. The guidewire aid may include a removable guidewire guide tube. The guide tube may enter a first guidewire port of the tubular housing, exit the tubular housing via a second guidewire port on a side wall of the tubular housing on a distal side of the impeller, enter a third guidewire port on a proximal side of the impeller, and extend proximally through the catheter shaft.

Abstract: Disclosed is a minimally invasive miniaturized percutaneous mechanical circulatory support system. The system may be placed across the aortic valve via a single femoral arterial access point. The system includes a low profile axial rotary blood pump carried by the distal end of a catheter. The system can be percutaneously inserted through the femoral artery and positioned across the aortic valve into the left ventricle. The device actively unloads the left ventricle by pumping blood from the left ventricle into the ascending aorta and systemic circulation. A magnetic drive and encased motor housing allows for purgeless operation for extended periods of time to treat various ailments, for example more than six hours as acute therapy for cardiogenic shock.

Abstract: A minimally invasive miniaturized percutaneous mechanical circulatory support system for transcatheter delivery of a pump to the heart that actively unloads the left ventricle by pumping blood from the left ventricle into the ascending aorta and systemic circulation. The pump may include a tubular housing, a motor, an impeller configured to be rotated by the motor. The impeller may be rotated by the motor, via a shaft with an annular polymeric seal around the shaft, or via a magnetic drive. The system may have an insertion tool having a tubular body and configured to axially movably receive the circulatory support device, and an introducer sheath configured to axially movably receive the insertion tool.

Abstract: A cardiac support system (20) is equipped with a retaining structure (30) for the cardiac support system, said retaining structure (30) being intended to fix the cardiac support system in place. The cardiac support system comprises a device for monitoring the integrity of the retaining structure (30).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting a state of wear of a cardiac support system. The method comprises a read-in step and a determination step. During the read-in step, a sensor signal (315) representing an operating state of the cardiac support system is read in. During the determination step, a wear signal (325) is determined using the sensor signal (315) and a comparison rule (320). The wear signal (325) represents the wear condition.

Abstract: A micromechanical sound transducer system includes a substrate that includes (a) a cavity with a cavity edge area, (b) a front side, and (c) a rear side; a piezoelectric vibrating beam that is elastically suspended on the front side and that extends across the cavity; and, for the piezoelectric vibrating beam, a respective deflection limiting device that is on a front edge area of the respective vibrating beam and that is configured to limit a deflection of the respective vibrating beam to a limiting deflection by causing the respective front edge area of the respective vibrating beam to interact with the cavity edge area or an opposing front edge area of another vibrating beam.

Abstract: According to the disclosure, a sensor assembly, in particular for a guide, is provided, which has a sensor and an analysis device. The analysis device determines a movement profile of the guide component based on a vibration signal detected by the sensor, wherein a part of the movement profile is used for the fatigue detection. Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the vibration signal detected by the sensor is filtered or digitally filtered and the or a movement profile of the guide component is determined based on the filtered or digitally filtered signal.

Abstract: A method for operating an analog-to-digital converter to convert a signal includes calculating a signal parameter in a spectral sub-range of the signal to be converted. The spectral sub-range includes a frequency range of a potential sampling frequency range of the analog-to-digital converter, which does not include frequencies of at least one other sub-range of the sampling frequency range. The method further includes determining a sampling frequency of the analog-to-digital converter by using the signal parameter and operating the analog-to-digital converter using the determined sampling frequency.

Abstract: A method for processing a signal includes reading in a signal and filtering the signal using a first number of band-pass filters in order to obtain one band-pass filtered signal per band-pass filter. The first number of band-pass filters is configured to each allow distinct frequency ranges of the signal to pass. The method further includes calculating at least one signal parameter each from the plurality of band-pass filtered signals. The method further includes performing analog-to-digital conversion of the plurality of band-pass filtered signals or signals derived therefrom using a plurality of signal parameters such that a second number of analog-to-digital converters used to perform the analog-to-digital conversion is less than the first number of band-pass filters used to filter the signal.

Abstract: A method for processing a signal includes reading in a signal and filtering the signal using a first number of band-pass filters in order to obtain one band-pass filtered signal per band-pass filter. The first number of band-pass filters is configured to each allow distinct frequency ranges of the signal to pass. The method further includes calculating at least one signal parameter each from the plurality of band-pass filtered signals. The method further includes performing analog-to-digital conversion of the plurality of band-pass filtered signals or signals derived therefrom using a plurality of signal parameters such that a second number of analog-to-digital converters used to perform the analog-to-digital conversion is less than the first number of band-pass filters used to filter the signal.

Abstract: A method for operating an analog-to-digital converter to convert a signal includes calculating a signal parameter in a spectral sub-range of the signal to be converted. The spectral sub-range includes a frequency range of a potential sampling frequency range of the analog-to-digital converter, which does not include frequencies of at least one other sub-range of the sampling frequency range. The method further includes determining a sampling frequency of the analog-to-digital converter by using the signal parameter and operating the analog-to-digital converter using the determined sampling frequency.

Abstract: A micromechanical sound transducer system includes a substrate that includes (a) a cavity with a cavity edge area, (b) a front side, and (c) a rear side; a piezoelectric vibrating beam that is elastically suspended on the front side and that extends across the cavity; and, for the piezoelectric vibrating beam, a respective deflection limiting device that is on a front edge area of the respective vibrating beam and that is configured to limit a deflection of the respective vibrating beam to a limiting deflection by causing the respective front edge area of the respective vibrating beam to interact with the cavity edge area or an opposing front edge area of another vibrating beam.