Ventricular assist devices and integrated sensors thereof

Abstract

A ventricular assist device for intraventricular placement inside a heart of a mammalian subject includes a pump including a housing having an inlet end, an inlet at the inlet end, and an outlet. The pump further includes a moveable element disposed in the pump housing for pumping blood from the inlet to the outlet. A base member is included as well as a spacer member connected to the pump housing and the base member. The base member is positioned a distance from the inlet end of the pump housing to define a gap therebetween. One or more sensor elements are mounted to at least one from the group consisting of the base member and the housing, the one or more sensor elements being configured to measure one or more blood parameters prevailing within the gap during operation of the pump.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.