Implantable ventricular assist devices and methods

A system for implanting an implantable medical device for cardiac assistance, the system com prising:

• a first catheter configured to deploy an implantable medical device within an aorta, the implantable medical device including a main body, the main body including a lumen operable to maintain fluid flow through the aorta, the main body including an access site in a sidewall of the main body providing access to the lumen of the main body;
• and
• a second catheter configured to deploy a branch member within the access site to fluidly connect with the lumen of the main body and including a pump configured to convey blood through the branch member and into the lumen of the main body.

An implantable medical device for cardiac assistance, the implantable medical device comprising:

• a stent-graft having a main body having a lumen operable to convey blood therethrough and a branch member fluidly connected with the lumen of the main body, the branch member including one or more anchor elements;
• an access site in a sidewall of the main body operable to provide access to the lumen of the main body;
• a pump configured to deploy within a pulmonary vein and configured to interface with and secure with the one or more anchor elements of the branch member, the pump including a lumen configured to maintain blood flow through the pulmonary vein and configured to convey blood through the lumen.

A method for cardiac assistance, the method com prising:

• arranging an implantable medical device between an aorta and a heart chamber of a patient, the implantable medical device including a pump configured to convey blood from the heart chamber into the aorta;
• and
• forming a conduit of native tissue about the pump and between the aorta and the heart cham ber.