Generating Artificial Pulse
AssigneeThoratec Corporation
InventorKevin Bourque
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In order to produce a pulsatile blood flow pattern that includes time periods of relatively high blood flow rates and time periods of relatively low blood flow rates, the operating speed of a blood pump can be selectively controlled to produce an operating speed pattern that includes time periods of relatively high rotation speeds and periods of relatively low rotation speeds. For example, the blood pump is rotated at a first speed for a first period of time. The speed of the blood pump is then decreased from the first speed to a second speed and is operated at the second speed for a second amount of time. The speed of the blood pump is then decreased to a third speed for a third amount of time. If desired, the operating speed pattern can be repeated to continue the pulsatile blood flow pattern.
Claims21
A method of controlling an implantable blood pump, the method comprising:
- operating the implantable blood pump in a first pump speed pattern to provide a pulsatile operational mode;
- detecting a low power condition;
- transmitting, based on the detection of the low power condition, a signal to the implantable blood pump to transition the implantable blood pump from the first pump speed pattern to a second pump speed pattern, the second pump speed pattern having a lower power consumption rate than the first pump speed pattern.
A method of controlling an implantable blood pump, the method comprising:
- operating the implantable blood pump in an artificial pulse mode for a first period of time;
- transmitting a first signal to the implantable blood pump to transition the implantable blood pump from the artificial pulse mode to a constant speed mode;
- operating the implantable blood pump in the constant speed mode for a second period of time;
- and
- transmitting a second signal to the implantable blood pump to transition the implantable blood pump from the constant speed mode to the artificial pulse mode;
- operating the implantable blood pump back in the artificial pulse mode.
An implantable blood pump system, the system comprising:
- an implantable blood pump configured to supplement or replace a pumping function of a heart, the implantable blood pump operable in a first pump speed pattern and a second pump speed pattern;
- a controller coupled with the implantable blood pump and configured to receive a first input, and in response to receiving the first input, to transmit a signal to the implantable blood pump to transition from operating in the first pump speed pattern to operating in the second speed pattern.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.