Inlet guards for blood pumps

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are described including a blood pump that includes a frame that includes a proximal portion, a central portion comprising multiple struts, and a distal portion. An impeller, which is configured to pump blood of a subject proximally, is disposed within the frame, and a pump-outlet tube is fixed over the proximal portion of the frame and at least part of the central portion of the frame. An inlet guard is distal to the impeller and includes a main body shaped to define one or more blood-inlet openings configured to allow passage of the blood therethrough. The inlet guard additionally includes multiple proximal flaps, which are coupled to the pump-outlet tube and are fixed at least partly over the central portion of the frame without overlapping any of the struts. Other applications are also described.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.