Blood pump system
AssigneeAbiomed Europe GmbH
InventorsThorsten Siess, Frank Kirchhoff, Christoph Nix
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A blood pump system including a blood pump, an intravascular flow cannula, and a pressure sensor. The intravascular flow cannula is in flow communication with the blood pump and has a distal end portion distally from the blood pump and a proximal end portion closer to the blood pump. The intravascular flow cannula has at least one blood flow through opening at its distal end portion for blood to enter or exit the flow cannula. The blood flow through opening has a borderline surrounding the through opening. The pressure sensor is configured radially within the flow cannula and borders a proximal portion of the borderline.
Claims11
A blood pump system comprising:
- an intravascular flow cannula that is in fluid communication with a blood pump and has a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, wherein the distal end portion of the intravascular flow cannula comprises a distal tip, a funnel structure that is proximal of the distal tip, and at least one blood flow through opening for blood to enter or exit the intravascular flow cannula via the funnel structure, wherein the at least one blood flow through opening extends between the distal tip and the funnel structure;
- and
- a pressure sensor, wherein at least a portion of the pressure sensor is placed inside the distal end portion of the intravascular flow cannula, wherein the portion of the pressure sensor includes a pressure sensitive surface that is positioned in or borders an area between the distal tip and the funnel structure such that the pressure sensor is configured to (a) measure a pressure external to the distal end portion of the intravascular flow cannula, and (b) detect a negative pressure due to suction of the distal end portion of the intravascular flow cannula against patient tissue, based on values sensed by the pressure sensor.
A method, comprising:
- providing a blood pump system comprising an intravascular flow cannula, a blood pump, and a pressure sensor, wherein the intravascular flow cannula is in fluid communication with the blood pump and has a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, wherein the distal end portion of the intravascular flow cannula comprises a distal tip, a funnel structure that is proximal of the distal tip, and at least one blood flow through opening for blood to enter or exit the intravascular flow cannula via the funnel structure, wherein the at least one blood flow through opening extends between the distal tip and the funnel structure;
- and
- positioning at least a portion of the pressure sensor inside the distal end portion of the intravascular flow cannula, wherein the portion of the pressure sensor includes a pressure sensitive surface that is positioned in or borders an area between the distal tip and the funnel structure such that the pressure sensor is configured to (a) measure a pressure external to the distal end portion of the intravascular flow cannula, and (b) detect a negative pressure due to suction of the distal end portion of the intravascular flow cannula against patient tissue, based on values sensed by the pressure sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.