Introducer assembly and method of use thereof

A method of introducing a blood pump into a blood vessel of a subject, the method comprising:

• providing an introducer assembly for introducing the blood pump, the introducer assembly comprising:
• a shaft elongated along a longitudinal axis, the shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, a lumen extending along the longitudinal axis from the distal end to the proximal end, and a collet mechanism disposed at the proximal end for receiving a guidewire;
• a locking component having a distal end and a proximal end, the locking component adapted such that the distal end of the locking component reversibly couples to the proximal end of the shaft,
• wherein the locking component has a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, and
• wherein when in the locked configuration, a gripping force is created between the collet mechanism and the guidewire;
• and
• a blood pump device, the blood pump device comprising a drive line coupled with an elongated inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the balloon being coupled to the drive line, wherein the distal end of the shaft is fluidly coupled with the drive line of the blood pump device,
• elongating the inflatable balloon by advancing the guidewire distally along the lumen of the shaft through the collet mechanism and toward the distal end of the balloon when the locking component is in the unlocked configuration;
• transitioning the locking component to the locked configuration such that the guidewire is slidably immovable within the collet;
• advancing the balloon into and along a length of the blood vessel, wherein the guidewire is within the balloon lumen and the distal tip of the guidewire is in contact with the lumen side of the distal tip of the balloon;
• transitioning the locking component to the unlocked configuration;
• withdrawing the guidewire;
• and
• disconnecting the distal end of the shaft from the drive line of the blood pump.