Stented balloon pump system and method for using same

An intravascular pumping system for directly pumping blood, comprising:

• a substantially cylindrical intravascular stent adapted to be operatively positioned within a desired portion of a vessel;
• and
• a balloon pump system comprising:
• a catheter configured to be inserted into the vessel,
• a balloon pump mounted on said catheter and adapted to be operatively positioned within said stent, said pump being unconnected to and separately positionable with respect to said stent;
• and
• a first collapsible and extendable valve operatively coupled to said catheter adjacent to said balloon pump, said first valve substantially occluding the vessel when substantially extended,
• wherein said stent is constructed and arranged to substantially limit compliance of a vessel region in which said balloon pump is located.

A method for pumping fluid through a vessel, comprising:

• a) positioning a substantially cylindrical stent having a hollow bore extending longitudinally therethrough within a desired portion of the vessel, thereby substantially limiting compliance of said desired portion of the vessel;
• b) after step a), positioning a balloon pump within said hollow bore of said stent;
• c) cyclically inflating and deflating said balloon pump;
• and
• d) preventing said portion of the vessel from significantly expanding and contracting in response to inflation and deflation, respectively, of said balloon pump.

A balloon pump system for pumping fluid through a body passageway of a patient, comprising:

• a substantially crush-resistant locking stent, having a hollow bore extending longitudinally therethrough, constructed and arranged to be operatively positioned within a desired portion of the body passageway;
• a catheter configured to be inserted into the passageway;
• and
• a balloon pump, mounted on said catheter, constructed and arranged to be operatively positioned within said hollow bore of said stent, said pump being unconnected to and separately positionable with respect to said stent,
• wherein said stent substantially reduces compliance of the desired portion of the body passageway, thereby improving the efficiency of said fluid pumping therethrough.