Systems and methods for estimating a position of a heart pump

A heart pump system comprising:

• a pump comprising a pump housing and a rotor, the pump housing having a proximal end and a distal end, and the pump being configured to be operated by a motor;
• a cannula comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the cannula interfaces with the distal end of the pump housing;
• an elongate catheter extending proximal of the pump housing;
• one or more sensors, including a differential pressure sensor;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• receive a first data indicative of a time-varying motor current during a first period of time while the heart pump system is operating in a patient, wherein the time-varying motor current corresponds to an amount of current delivered to the motor;
• receive a second data indicative of a time-varying differential pressure measured by the differential pressure sensor during the first period of time, wherein the time-varying differential pressure corresponds to a difference in pressure between an inner portion of the heart pump system and an outside of the heart pump system and is further indicative of a position of the heart pump system relative to patient's heart;
• receive a third data indicative of time-varying motor current during a second period of time while the heart pump system is operating in the patient, wherein the second period of time is later than the first period of time;
• determine that the differential pressure sensor has failed when no data is received from the differential pressure sensor during the second period of time;
• and
• determine, in response to determining that the differential pressure sensor has failed, an estimate of time-varying differential pressure during the second period of time from the third data and a relationship between the first data and the second data,
• wherein the estimate of time-varying differential pressure during the second period of time is usable to predict the position of the heart pump system in the patient.