Abstract: A controller for a blood pump, in particular a catheter-based intravascular blood pump, configured to utilize detected or determined aortic pressures and left ventricular pressures in order to calculate a coupling factor, which is then used to determine how to adjust the rotational speed of the blood pump, such as when the blood pump is used in conjunction with ECMO devices.

Abstract: Systems and methods for deriving pressures outside of a blood inlets and blood outlets of an intracardiac blood pump assembly, and pressure differentials therebetween. Pressures outside of a blood inlet may be derived based on one or more readings from a pressure sensor placed within a blood inlet, one or more readings from a differential pressure sensor configured to measure pressure differential across a wall of the pump housing or cannula, and speed of the pump motor. Pressure differentials between a blood inlet and blood outlet may be derived based on one or more readings from the differential pressure sensor and speed of the pump motor. Pressures outside of a blood outlet may be derived based on a derived pressure outside of a blood inlet and a derived pressure differential between the blood inlet and the blood outlet.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for use in estimating blood flow in an intravascular blood pump comprise retrieving reference data from a set of reference data obtained in a test environment. The set of reference data comprises, for at least one motor speed at different pump loads, including a first pump load, both a reference motor current (I) of a motor driving the blood pump and an amount of fluid flow through the blood pump. After placement of the blood pump in the patient, a patient-specific motor current for said motor speed at said first pump load is measured, and a motor current deviation value (?I) is calculated from the reference motor current (I) at said first pump load and patient-specific motor current. Finally, the motor current deviation value ?I is used for estimating a patient-specific blood flow amount through the blood pump.

Abstract: An intracardiac rotary pump (10) is provided with a pressure differential sensor (18) for supporting the pumping heart. The pressure differential sensor measures the pressure differential between aorta (AO) and left ventricle (LV). This pressure differential must correspond to certain desired values at different speed stages. If the pressure differential deviates to too large an extent, the deviation is recognized as a drift of the pressure sensor, and a correction value is determined in dependence on the drift, the subsequently measured pressure values being corrected with the aid of this correction value. In this manner it is possible to carry out a drift correction on the sensor with the pump arranged in the heart and even with the pump in operation.

Abstract: An intracardiac rotary pump (10) is provided with a pressure differential sensor (18) for supporting the pumping heart. The pressure differential sensor measures the pressure differential between aorta (AO) and left ventricle (LV). This pressure differential must correspond to certain desired values at different speed stages. If the pressure differential deviates to too large an extent, the deviation is recognized as a drift of the pressure sensor, and a correction value is determined in dependence on the drift, the subsequently measured pressure values being corrected with the aid of this correction value. In this manner it is possible to carry out a drift correction on the sensor with the pump arranged in the heart and even with the pump in operation.