Abstract: An intravascular blood pump having a drive section (11), a catheter (14) fastened to the drive section proximally and a pump section (12) fastened to the drive section distally possesses an electric motor (21) whose motor shaft (25) is mounted in the drive section (11) with two radial sliding bearings (27, 31) and an axial sliding bearing (40). During operation, purge fluid is conveyed through the bearing gap of the axial sliding bearing (40) and farther through the radial sliding bearing (31) at the distal end of the drive section (11). The purge fluid is highly viscous, for example 20% glucose solution.

Abstract: An improved intravascular blood pump. Intravascular blood pumps using the present technology may be powered by an onboard motor unit configured to be located inside the patient's body, but which is separated from the pump unit by a flexible intermediate section housing a flexible drive shaft.

Abstract: Drive components and rotor housings for use in intravascular blood pumps, such as blood pumps configured to make the pump section more resistant to bending, kinking, and/or plastic deformation in combination with a catheter that controls a position of the intravascular blood pump to mitigate suction events that may occur due to the pump section's proximity to a patient's vasculature.

Abstract: An intravascular blood pump (1) comprises a pumping device and a catheter (5). The pumping device comprises a drive shaft (12), a rotor (10) located at a distal end of the drive shaft (5), a housing (11), in which the rotor (10) is housed, and a distal bearing (14) for rotatably supporting a distal end of the rotor (10). The distal bearing (14) comprises a static support member (18), which protrudes into or up against the distal end of the rotor (10). The rotor (10) and housing (11) may be expandable, and the pin (19) may have a sufficient length to prevent disengagement of the pin (19) from the distal end of the rotor (10) when the rotor (10) and the housing (11) are in a collapsed state.

Abstract: Aspects of the present technology relate to compressible and expandable pumps. In one aspect, a pump is provided including a pump housing that is expandable and compressible and a rotor that is expandable and compressible and disposed in the pump housing. The rotor includes at least one rotor blade, a hub, and an axis of rotation. At least a portion of the at least one rotor blade extends from the hub along a first axis that is offset a predetermined distance from a radial axis of the rotor that traverses the axis of rotation. The pump further includes a drive shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the hub of the rotor is mounted to the distal end of the drive shaft and the drive shaft is rotated to rotate the rotor.

Abstract: A blood pump comprises a pump section and a flow cannula. A proximal end portion of the flow cannula is connected to the pump section such that blood can enter the blood flow inlet, and a distal end portion of the flow cannula includes at least one blood flow-through opening for blood to enter the flow cannula. The distal end portion comprises an enlarged diameter portion, with at least a major portion of the blood flow-through opening being disposed in the enlarged diameter portion. The blood pump further comprises a sleeve overlapping the enlarged diameter portion. The sleeve has a structure that prevents its distal end from bending radially inwards into the blood flow-through openings.