Blood pump

A method for supporting a blood flow in a blood vessel of a patient using a blood pump,

• the blood pump comprising:
• a pump casing having a blood flow inlet and a first blood flow outlet,
• an impeller arranged in said pump casing so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation for conveying blood from the blood flow inlet to the first blood flow outlet,
• an outflow cannula having an upstream end portion, a downstream end portion and an intermediate portion extending between the upstream end portion and the downstream end portion,
• and a support structure configured to improve occlusion of the vessel by the pump, the support structure arranged around at least a portion of the intermediate portion of the outflow cannula,
• wherein the upstream end portion of the outflow cannula is connected to the pump casing such that blood is conveyed from the first blood flow outlet into and through the intermediate portion of the outflow cannula towards the downstream end portion of the outflow cannula,
• wherein the downstream end portion has a second blood flow outlet through which blood can exit the outflow cannula and which is arranged at least partially radially inwards relative to an outermost circumference of the outflow cannula's intermediate portion, and wherein at least a portion of the intermediate portion of the outflow cannula has an outer diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of the pump casing,
• the method comprising the steps of:
• operating the blood pump, when placed in the patient's blood vessel, such that at least the intermediate portion of the outflow cannula contacts an inner wall of the patient's vessel in which the blood pump is placed during operation of the blood pump so as to occlude the vessel during operation of the blood pump.