Methods, systems and devices relating to implantable fluid pumps
AssigneeThe Foundry, LLC
InventorsRonald French, Bernard H. Andreas, Hanson S. Gifford III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An implantable pump system including an external driver. The implantable pump is driven by the external driver during normal operation but may also operate on a-battery. The external driver is used to drive the pump with the mechanical energy of the impeller also being used to charge the battery. The external driver is also useful during emergency situations to directly drive the pump if the battery or internal coils should fail. The pump is also preferably implanted in a subpectoral location outside the patient's rib cage.
Claims15
A pump system, comprising;
- an implantable pump having a pumping element, the implantable pump being implantable into a patient for pumping a fluid in a patient, the pump having an inlet which directs the fluid to the pumping element and an outlet which delivers fluid from the pumping element;
- and
- an external driver positioned outside the patient's body, the external driver having a driving element, the driving element being drivingly coupled to the pumping element to drive the pumping element from a location outside the patient.
A method of operating an implantable pump, comprising the steps of:
- providing a blood pump having a pumping element and a battery, the battery providing power to drive the pumping element, the pump also having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the pumping element receiving fluid from the pump inlet and delivering the fluid to the pump outlet;
- implanting the blood pump in a patient;
- and
- charging the battery by driving the pumping element with an external driver positioned outside the patient's body, wherein the mechanical motion of the pumping element generates power to charge the battery.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.