Transseptal cannula, tip, delivery system, and method

A circulatory assist system, comprising:

• a cannula body having distal and proximal ends and a lumen therebetween;
• a pump for drawing blood into the cannula assembly and dispensing the blood from the cannula assembly and into the patient circulatory system;
• and
• a tip at the distal end of the cannula body in fluid communication with the lumen and configured to communicate the lumen with a cavity of the heart, the tip including a distal portion having first and second ends having first and second diameters, respectively, the second end more distal than the first end, and the second diameter larger than the first diameter, wherein the tip is configured to prevent a drop of pressure of blood entering the tip and traveling through the cannula.

A circulatory assist system, comprising:

• a cannula assembly having distal and proximal ends and a lumen therebetween;
• a pump for drawing blood into the cannula assembly and dispensing the blood from the cannula assembly and into the patient circulatory system;
• and
• a delivery sheath for delivering the cannula assembly through the patient circulatory system, wherein the delivery sheath is configured to receive the cannula assembly and move relative thereto for deploying the cannula adjacent a heart cavity and further comprises a distal end, a proximal end, and a body therebetween;
• wherein the body further comprises a longitudinally disposed tensile element embedded therein and configured to prevent deformation of the body when the cannula assembly moves relative to the delivery sheath.

A delivery system for delivering a cannula including an anchor to the heart of a patient, the anchor having contracted and expanded states, the delivery system comprising:

• a delivery sheath, the sheath configured to receive the cannula assembly and move relative thereto for deploying the anchor into the expanded state;
• and
• a loading device configured to receive the anchor in the contracted state and assist the delivery of the cannula into the delivery sheath with the anchor in the contracted state, and further comprising:
• a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen therebetween, the proximal end having a first inner diameter and the distal end having a second inner diameter, the first diameter being larger than the second diameter;
• and
• a stepped portion in the lumen where the first inner diameter changes to the second inner diameter, and
• a taper at the stepped portion, defined as a decrease in inner diameter between the first inner diameter and the second inner diameter, the taper configured to prevent damage to the anchor when the sheath receives the cannula assembly.

A circulatory assist system for assisting the flow of blood through a patient circulatory system, comprising:

• a cannula assembly for directing blood from the heart of a patient, the cannula assembly comprising a flexible cannula body including a proximal end and a distal end and a lumen therebetween;
• a pump for drawing blood into the cannula assembly and dispensing the blood from the cannula assembly and into the patient circulatory system, the pump further including an inlet and an outlet;
• an adaptor device between the inlet and the cannula assembly, thereby fluidicly communicating the inlet and cannula assembly;
• and
• an outflow cannula fluidicly communicating the outlet and an artery of a patient;
• wherein the inlet is disposed facing a generally lateral direction relative to the patient.

A method of deploying a circulatory assist system into a circulatory system of a patient, the assist system including a cannula assembly and a pump, the assist system for assisting the flow of blood through a the circulatory system, comprising:

• directing a cannula assembly into the circulatory system of a patient, wherein a distal end of the cannula assembly is in fluid communication with a chamber of the heart, and the body travels therefrom to the superior vena cava and the subclavian vein, whereby the cannula assembly exits from the subclavian vein at a point thereof;
• fluidicly communicating an outlet of the pump with an artery with an outflow cannula therebetween;
• and
• fluidicly communicating the cannula assembly with an inlet of the pump with a cannula adaptor therebetween, wherein the inlet is disposed facing a generally lateral direction relative to the patient.