# US 10,500,322 B2 · Method and heart support system for determining an outlet pressure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,322 B2 - Document ID: US10500322B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/322,696 - Filed: 2015-07-01 - Published: 2017-05-11 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-03 - Assignees: Berlin Heart GmbH - Applicants: Berlin Heart GmbH - Inventors: Dominik Karch - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500322B2 ## CPC - A61M 60/148: in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices - A61M 60/178: drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to the ventricle, e.g. left or right ventricular assist devices - A61M 60/221: the blood flow through the rotating member having both radial and axial components, e.g. mixed flow pumps - A61M 60/232: Centrifugal pumps - A61M 60/237: the blood flow through the rotating member having mainly axial components, e.g. axial flow pumps - A61M 60/242: with the outlet substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation - A61M 60/422: the force acting on the blood contacting member being electromagnetic, e.g. using canned motor pumps - A61M 60/523: using blood flow data, e.g. from blood flow transducers - A61M 60/531: using blood pressure data, e.g. from blood pressure sensors - A61M 60/546: of blood flow, e.g. by adapting rotor speed - A61M 60/554: of blood pressure - A61M 60/816: Sensors arranged on or in the housing, e.g. ultrasonic flow sensors - A61M 60/857: Implantable blood tubes - A61M 60/863: Apex rings - A61M 2205/3331: Pressure; Flow - A61M 2205/3334: Measuring or controlling the flow rate - A61M 2205/3344: Measuring or controlling pressure at the body treatment site - A61M 2205/3365: Rotational speed - A61M 2205/3389: Continuous level detection (A61M2205/3393 takes precedence) - A61M 2205/3523: using telemetric means - A61M 2205/50: with microprocessors or computers - A61M 2205/52: with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient - A61M 2205/702: automatically during use - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract Methods and systems are provided for determining an outlet pressure prevailing at an outlet of a heart assist system. An inlet pressure which prevails at an inlet of the heart assist system may be determined. A pressure difference between the inlet and the outlet of the heart assist system may be determined. The outlet pressure may be determined from the inlet pressure and the pressure difference. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heart assist system comprising: a pump for assistance of a heart; a cannula which is connectable to the pump, wherein the pump comprises a pump inlet and a pump outlet, and the cannula comprises a cannula inlet and a cannula outlet; a pressure detection system configured to detect a pressure at the pump inlet, which represents a ventricle pressure of a ventricle of the heart, and a pump pressure difference between the pump inlet and the pump outlet; and a control unit configured to estimate a cannula pressure difference between the cannula inlet and the cannula outlet, which represents a pressure difference along a bypass running between the ventricle and an aorta of the heart, and the control unit is configured to determine an aortic pressure from the pressure at the pump inlet representing the ventricle pressure and from the cannula pressure difference. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heart assist system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a programmable field array, or an external control unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The heart assist system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a memory unit, and the memory unit is configured to store commands and/or parameters for estimating the cannula pressure difference. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The heart assist system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is connected to the pressure detection system so that data detected by the pressure detection system is transferable to the control unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The heart assist system according to claim 1 further comprising a volume flow sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The heart assist system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to estimate the cannula pressure difference based on at least one variable detected by the pump. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The heart assist system according to claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured to determine the cannula pressure difference based on a volume flow through the pump. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The heart assist system according to claim 7, wherein the control unit is configured to determine the volume flow based on the pump pressure difference. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The heart assist system according to claim 1, wherein the pressure detection system comprises a pressure sensor at the pump inlet, a pressure sensor at the pump outlet, and/or a differential pressure sensor in the pump. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The heart assist system according to claim 8, wherein the pump pressure difference is determined based on a displacement of a pump rotor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The heart assist system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a model of the cannula pressure difference, wherein at least one parameter of the model is determined based on a statistical method. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The heart assist system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to estimate the cannula pressure difference based on a higher order polynomial that is a function of a variable measurable by the heart assist system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The heart assist system according to claim 1, wherein the pressure at the pump inlet represents the ventricle pressure of a left ventricle of the heart, and the cannula pressure difference represents the pressure difference along the bypass running between the left ventricle and the aorta of the heart.