Intraventricular blood pumps anchored by expandable mounting devices

Abstract

An intraventricular blood pump is retained in position by an expandable stent placed in the aorta that anchors to the aortic wall. The pump ejects blood across the aortic valve either through a conduit or as a free stream of blood without a mechanical conduit passing between the valve leaflets. The ejection of blood causes a reactive force pushing the pump towards the ventricular apex and away from the valve. Thus, the pump may be held by three filaments connecting it to the anchoring stent. Other flexible members such as a tube made of pericardium, sutures, or a rigid rod may be used to hold the pump in place. The preferred embodiment includes an apically introduced stent anchored aortic valve having two flexible tissue leaflets and a conduit channeling blood from the pump in the ventricle into the aortic root and passing through the non-coronary sinus in the position usually occupied by the non-coronary cusp of the aortic valve. This device can be surgically implanted through a small incision without the need for cardiopulmonary bypass in elderly or severely ill patients who cannot safely undergo more invasive surgery. Pumps using durable bearings and hermetically sealed motors are combined with tissue valves such that the entire device is durable for many years.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.