Implantable blood pump assembly including pressure sensor and methods of assembling same

A circulatory support system comprising:

• an implantable blood pump comprising:
• a housing defining an inlet, an outlet, a rotor chamber, a flow path extending from the inlet to the outlet, and an internal compartment separated from the flow path;
• a rotor positioned within the flow path and operable to pump blood from the inlet to the outlet;
• a stator positioned within the internal compartment and operable to drive the rotor;
• an inlet conduit connected to the housing inlet, the inlet conduit having a downstream end having a reduced cross-sectional area that produces a localized region of high velocity blood flow, the downstream end terminating at an outlet of the inlet conduit;
• and
• at least one pressure sensor positioned between the housing inlet and the housing outlet and configured to detect a pressure of blood flowing through the flow path, wherein the at least one pressure sensor is located adjacent the downstream end of the inlet conduit, and between the outlet of the inlet conduit and the rotor chamber;
• and
• a controller connected to the at least one pressure sensor and the stator and positioned within the internal compartment, wherein the controller is configured to control a rotational speed of the rotor based on the pressure detected by the at least one pressure sensor.

A method of assembling a blood pump assembly, the method comprising:

• providing a blood pump housing defining an inlet, an outlet, a rotor chamber, a flow path extending from the inlet to the outlet, and an internal compartment;
• positioning a rotor within the flow path such that the rotor is operable to pump blood from the inlet to the outlet;
• positioning a stator within the internal compartment such that the stator is operable to drive the rotor;
• connecting a downstream end of an inlet conduit to the housing inlet, the downstream end having a reduced cross-sectional area that produces a localized region of high velocity blood flow, the downstream end terminating at an outlet of the inlet conduit;
• and
• positioning at least one pressure sensor between the housing inlet and the housing outlet, adjacent to the downstream end of the inlet conduit, and between the outlet of the inlet conduit and the rotor chamber such that the at least one pressure sensor is configured to detect a pressure of blood flowing through the flow path.