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: 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: Methods and apparatus for controlling the operation of, and providing power for and to, implantable ventricular assist devices which include a brushless DC motor-driven blood pump, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a control system for driving an implantable pump is provided. The digital processor is responsive to data associated with the operation of the pump received at the data transfer port, and from the program data stored in memory, (i) to determine therefrom, the identity of the pump, (ii) to determine therefrom, electrical characteristics and features of the identified pump, and (iii) to adaptively generate and apply to the data port, control signals for driving the identified pump. Latch mechanisms, an elongated flexible electrical cable with a strain relief segment, and a lower housing portion that is heavier than an upper housing portion, may also be provided with the control system.

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: Methods and apparatus for controlling the operation of, and providing power for and to, implantable ventricular assist devices which include a brushless DC motor-driven blood pump, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a control system for driving an implantable pump is provided. The digital processor is responsive to data associated with the operation of the pump received at the data transfer port, and from the program data stored in memory, (i) to determine therefrom, the identity of the pump, (ii) to determine therefrom, electrical characteristics and features of the identified pump, and (iii) to adaptively generate and apply to the data port, control signals for driving the identified pump. Latch mechanisms, an elongated flexible electrical cable with a strain relief segment, and a lower housing portion that is heavier than an upper housing portion, may also be provided with the control system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling the operation of, and providing power for and to, implantable ventricular assist devices which include a brushless DC motor-driven blood pump, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a control system for driving an implantable pump is provided. The digital processor is responsive to data associated with the operation of the pump received at the data transfer port, and from the program data stored in memory, (i) to determine therefrom, the identity of the pump, (ii) to determine therefrom, electrical characteristics and features of the identified pump, and (iii) to adaptively generate and apply to the data port, control signals for driving the identified pump. Latch mechanisms, an elongated flexible electrical cable with a strain relief segment, and a lower housing portion that is heavier than an upper housing portion, may also be provided with the control system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling the operation of, and providing power for and to, implantable ventricular assist devices which include a brushless DC motor-driven blood pump, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a control system for driving an implantable pump is provided. The digital processor is responsive to data associated with the operation of the pump received at the data transfer port, and from the program data stored in memory, (i) to determine therefrom, the identity of the pump, (ii) to determine therefrom, electrical characteristics and features of the identified pump, and (iii) to adaptively generate and apply to the data port, control signals for driving the identified pump. Latch mechanisms, an elongated flexible electrical cable with a strain relief segment, and a lower housing portion that is heavier than an upper housing portion, may also be provided with the control system.

Abstract: A rotary blood pump includes a casing defining a pumping chamber. The pumping chamber has a blood inlet and a tangential blood outlet. One or more motor stators are provided outside of the pumping chamber. A rotatable impeller is within the pumping chamber and is adapted to cause blood entering the pumping chamber to move to the blood outlet. The impeller has one or more magnetic regions. The impeller is radially constrained in rotation by magnetic coupling to one or more motor stators and is axially constrained in rotation by one or more hydrodynamic thrust bearing surfaces on the impeller.

Abstract: An axial-flow blood pump for pumping blood includes a substantially cylindrical outer enclosure. A tubular housing concentric with and located within the outer enclosure has at one end an inlet and at an opposite end an outlet. A motor stator is concentric with and located between the outer enclosure and the tubular housing. An impeller is concentric with and located within the tubular housing. The impeller is suspended in operation by a combination of passive magnetic forces between magnets within the impeller or magnetized regions of the impeller and the motor stator and hydrodynamic thrust forces generated as blood flows between the tubular 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 tubular housing for receiving blood in the axial direction and directing blood in a direction normal to the axial direction.

Abstract: A rotary blood pump includes a casing defining a pumping chamber. The pumping chamber has a blood inlet and a tangential blood outlet. One or more motor stators are provided outside of the pumping chamber. A rotatable impeller is within the pumping chamber and is adapted to cause blood entering the pumping chamber to move to the blood outlet. The impeller has one or more magnetic regions. The impeller is radially constrained in rotation by magnetic coupling to one or more motor stators and is axially constrained in rotation by one or more hydrodynamic thrust bearing surfaces on the impeller.

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: Methods and apparatus for controlling the operation of, and providing power for and to, implantable ventricular assist devices which include a brushless DC motor-driven blood pump, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a control system for driving an implantable pump is provided. The digital processor is responsive to data associated with the operation of the pump received at the data transfer port, and from the program data stored in memory, (i) to determine therefrom, the identity of the pump, (ii) to determine therefrom, electrical characteristics and features of the identified pump, and (iii) to adaptively generate and apply to the data port, control signals for driving the identified pump. Latch mechanisms, an elongated flexible electrical cable with a strain relief segment, and a lower housing portion that is heavier than an upper housing portion, may also be provided with the control system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling the operation of, and providing power for and to, implantable ventricular assist devices which include a brushless DC motor-driven blood pump, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a control system for driving an implantable pump is provided. The digital processor is responsive to data associated with the operation of the pump received at the data transfer port, and from the program data stored in memory, (i) to determine therefrom, the identity of the pump, (ii) to determine therefrom, electrical characteristics and features of the identified pump, and (iii) to adaptively generate and apply to the data port, control signals for driving the identified pump. Latch mechanisms, an elongated flexible electrical cable with a strain relief segment, and a lower housing portion that is heavier than an upper housing portion, may also be provided with the control system.

Abstract: The present invention includes various devices and methods for ventricular assist. In one embodiment, the present invention is a ventricular assist device for intraventricular placement inside a heart of a mammalian subject, the device including a ring configured to be mounted adjacent an apex of the patient's heart; a rigid elongate member having a proximal and distal end; and a pump having a housing and an outflow cannula having a tip, the tip having a distal end projecting through an aortic valve of the subject's heart, wherein the ring and the pump are connected to the rigid elongate member remote from one another so that the rigid elongate member maintains the pump in position relative to the ring.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an improved transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) system that generates and wirelessly transmits a sufficient amount of energy to power one or more implanted devices, including a heart pump, while maintaining the system's efficiency, safety, and overall convenience of use. The disclosure further relates one or more methods of operation for the improved system.

Abstract: A rotary blood pump includes a casing defining a pumping chamber. The pumping chamber has a blood inlet and a tangential blood outlet. One or more motor stators are provided outside of the pumping chamber. A rotatable impeller is within the pumping chamber and is adapted to cause blood entering the pumping chamber to move to the blood outlet. The impeller has one or more magnetic regions. The impeller is radially constrained in rotation by magnetic coupling to one or more motor stators and is axially constrained in rotation by one or more hydrodynamic thrust bearing surfaces on the impeller.

Abstract: A rotary blood pump includes a casing defining a pumping chamber. The pumping chamber has a blood inlet and a tangential blood outlet. One or more motor stators are provided outside of the pumping chamber. A rotatable impeller is within the pumping chamber and is adapted to cause blood entering the pumping chamber to move to the blood outlet. The impeller has one or more magnetic regions. The impeller is radially constrained in rotation by magnetic coupling to one or more motor stators and is axially constrained in rotation by one or more hydrodynamic thrust bearing surfaces on the impeller.

Abstract: A method of estimating the blood flow rate of a heart ventricle assist device which is positioned externally of, or implanted in, a patient. The assist device comprises a blood pump having a rapidly rotating, electrically powered impeller, and comprises briefly interrupting power to the impeller to cause its rotation to slow. From this, blood viscosity can be estimated, which viscosity is used to obtain real time, estimated blood flow rates and pressure heads. Apparatus for accomplishing this is disclosed.