Implantable pump system having an undulating membrane

An implantable blood pump, comprising:

• a housing having an inlet and an outlet and configured to be implanted at a patient's heart;
• a membrane assembly disposed within the housing, the membrane assembly including a tensioned flexible membrane coupled to a rigid ring, the tensioned flexible membrane having a central aperture;
• an actuator disposed within the housing, the actuator having a stator assembly and an electromagnet assembly, the electromagnet assembly configured to selectively generate a magnetic field;
• and
• a magnetic ring coupled to the rigid ring, the magnetic ring concentrically suspended around the actuator and configured to reciprocate responsive to the magnetic field,
• wherein during operation blood enters the inlet, flows around the actuator and the magnetic ring, and is propelled across the membrane to the outlet.

An implantable blood pump system comprising:

• a controller;
• a rechargeable battery operatively coupled in electrical communication with the controller;
• and
• a blood pump operatively coupled in electrical communication with the controller, the blood pump comprising:
• a housing having an inlet and an outlet and configured to be implanted in at a patient's heart;
• a membrane assembly disposed within the housing, the membrane assembly including a tensioned flexible membrane coupled to a rigid ring, the tensioned flexible membrane having a central aperture;
• an actuator disposed within the housing, the actuator having a stator assembly and an electromagnet assembly, the electromagnet assembly configured to selectively generate a magnetic field;
• and
• a magnetic ring coupled to the rigid ring, the magnetic ring concentrically suspended around the actuator and configured to reciprocate responsive to the magnetic field,
• wherein during operation blood enters the inlet, flows around the actuator and the magnetic ring, and is propelled across the membrane to the outlet, and
• wherein the blood pump is a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD).

A method of pumping blood from the left ventricle to the aorta comprising:

• delivering blood through an inlet of a housing to a flexible membrane held in tension and rigidly coupled to a magnetic ring;
• exciting a first electromagnetic coil positioned above the magnetic ring to attract the magnetic ring thereby moving the magnetic ring upward;
• terminating attraction of the magnetic ring to the first electromagnetic coil by ceasing excitement of the first electromagnetic coil;
• exciting a second electromagnetic coil positioned below the first electromagnetic coil to the attract the magnetic ring thereby moving the magnetic ring downward;
• and
• terminating attraction of the magnetic ring to the second electromagnetic coil by ceasing excitement of the second electromagnetic coil.