Thoratec Patent Grants

Expandable impeller pump

Granted: February 19, 2013
Patent Number: 8376707
An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration…

Rotary pump with hydrodynamically suspended impeller

Granted: February 5, 2013
Patent Number: 8366381
A pump assembly 1, 33, 200 adapted for continuous flow pumping of blood. In a particular from the pump 1, 200 is a centrifugal pump wherein the impeller 100, 204 is entirely sealed within the pump housing 2, 201 and is exclusively hydrodynamically suspended therein as the impeller rotates within the fluid 105 urged by electromagnetic means external to the pump cavity 106, 203. Hydrodynamic suspension is assisted by the impeller 100, 204 having deformities therein such as blades 8 with…

Axial flow blood pump

Granted: February 5, 2013
Patent Number: 8366599
An axial flow rotary blood pump including an impeller adapted to be magnetically rotated within a housing by the interaction of magnets disposed on or in the impeller and stators disposed on or in the housing. The impeller includes at least one support ring supporting a plurality of blades, and a hydrodynamic bearing that operates at least axially and radially in respect of an axis of rotation of the impeller.

Rotor stability of a rotary pump

Granted: January 15, 2013
Patent Number: 8353686
A rotary pump including an impeller rotatable within a housing. A load is imposed on the impeller as it rotates, in a direction that is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation and wherein the load stabilizes the motion of the impeller. The load may be achieved by magnetically biasing the impeller.

Ventricular pump coupling

Granted: January 1, 2013
Patent Number: 8343028
A device and method for creating a connection with the left ventricle of a heart are provided. A seal member capable of moving between a folded position and an open position is attached to the end of a conduit. An introducer capable of moving between a first and second position allows for the expansion of the seal member into an open position. A clamp component is positioned outside of the heart to provide an axial clamping force with the wall of the heart so that a seal is created…

Implantable blood pump

Granted: November 27, 2012
Patent Number: D671646

Implantable blood pump

Granted: October 23, 2012
Patent Number: D669585

Rotary blood pump and control system therefor

Granted: October 9, 2012
Patent Number: 8282359
A pump assembly and estimation and control system therefor, the pump adapted for continuous flow pumping of blood. In a particular form, the pump is a centrifugal pump wherein the impeller is entirely sealed within the pump housing and is exclusively hydrodynamically suspended therein against movement in three translational and two rotational degrees of freedom as the impeller rotates within the fluid urged by electromagnetic means external to the pump cavity. Hydrodynamic suspension is…

Multi-lumen cannula

Granted: July 31, 2012
Patent Number: 8231519
This document relates to methods and materials for providing blood flow for a blood pump recipient. For example, cannulae that can be connected to the circulatory system of a mammal and can be used in conjunction with a blood pump (e.g., an assist device) are provided.

Quick priming connectors for blood circuit

Granted: April 17, 2012
Patent Number: 8157758
A connector system is provided for use in priming a fluid circuit. The system includes a first connector and a second connector. The first connector is configured to couple with one end of a conduit. The first connector has a gas permeable membrane, a main lumen extending from the gas permeable membrane, and a second lumen. The second lumen has a first end configured to couple with a fluid source and a second end in fluid communication with the main lumen. The second connector is…

Restraining device for a percutaneous lead assembly

Granted: April 10, 2012
Patent Number: 8152035
A device (1) for restraining attached couplers (4, 5) of a percutaneous lead assembly (7). The device (1) comprises a body (14) including two engagement means (8) positioned at opposite ends that engage with the respective couplers (4, 5) to resist disconnection, and an attachment means (9) to attach the device (1) to the outer epidermis of a patient to limit movement of the device (1), when in use.

Blood pump system with mounting cuff

Granted: April 10, 2012
Patent Number: 8152845
An implantable blood pump system includes a blood pump housing and a mounting cuff. The blood pump housing at least partially contains a pump drive system adapted to transfer blood from an interior chamber of a heart and return the blood to a circulatory system. The blood pump housing includes an inlet port adapted to provide a passage for the flow of blood from the interior chamber of the heart into an interior space of the pump housing and an outlet port adapted to provide a passage…

Pump-inflow-cannula, a pump-outflow-cannula and a blood managing system

Granted: February 21, 2012
Patent Number: 8118723
The invention relates to a pump-inflow-cannula (1) providing a blood conduit from a heart (2) and/or from an associated vessel to an external blood handling system. The pump-inflow-cannula comprises a body (3), encompassing an essentially axially extending inflow-lumen (4), having a distal-end (5) for an attachment of the inflow-lumen (4) to the blood handling system, and having a proximal-end (6) for an introduction of blood from the heart (2) and/or from the associated vessel into the…

Rotary blood pump

Granted: February 21, 2012
Patent Number: 8118724
Various “contactless” bearing mechanisms including hydrodynamic and magnetic bearings are provided for a rotary pump as alternatives to mechanical contact bearings. In one embodiment, a pump apparatus includes a pump housing defining a pumping chamber. The housing has a spindle extending into the pumping chamber. A spindle magnet assembly includes first and second magnets disposed within the spindle. The first and second magnets are arranged proximate each other with their respective…

Pulsatile control system for a rotary blood pump

Granted: January 17, 2012
Patent Number: 8096935
A system for controlling the speed of a rotary blood pump. The system oscillates the speed of the pump to produce pulsed pressure at the outlet of the pump. The speed is oscillated synchronously with the natural cardiac cycle. The natural cardiac cycle is determined using a pulsatility index calculated from the back EMF produced by the pump or an impedance sensor.

Rotary pump with hydrodynamically suspended impeller

Granted: August 23, 2011
Patent Number: 8002518
A pump assembly adapted for continuous flow pumping of blood. In a particular form the pump is a centrifugal pump wherein the impeller is entirely sealed within the pump housing and is hydrodynamically suspended therein as the impeller rotates within the fluid urged by electromagnetic means external to the pump cavity. Hydrodynamic suspension is assisted by the impeller having deformities therein such as blades with surfaces tapered from the leading edges to the trailing edges of bottom…

Implantable heart assist system and method of applying same

Granted: August 16, 2011
Patent Number: 7998054
An extracardiac pumping for supplementing the circulation of blood, including the cardiac output, in a patient without any component thereof being connected to the patient's heart, and methods of using same. One embodiment provides a vascular graft that has a first end that is sized and configured to couple to a non-primary blood vessel and a second end that is fluidly coupled to a pump to conduct blood between the pump and the non-primary blood vessel. An outflow conduit is also…

Implantable heart assist system and method of applying same

Granted: August 9, 2011
Patent Number: 7993260
An extracardiac pumping for supplementing the circulation of blood, including the cardiac output, in a patient without any component thereof being connected to the patient's heart, and methods of using same. One embodiment provides a vascular graft that has a first end that is sized and configured to couple to a non-primary blood vessel and a second end that is fluidly coupled to a pump to conduct blood between the pump and the non-primary blood vessel. An outflow conduit is also…

Physiological demand responsive control system

Granted: August 2, 2011
Patent Number: 7988728
A demand responsive physiological control system for use with a rotary blood pump; said system including a pump controller which is capable of controlling pump speed of said pump; said system further including a physiological controller, and wherein said physiological controller is adapted to analyse input data relating to physiological condition of a user of said pump; and wherein said physiological controller determines appropriate pumping speed and sends a speed control signal to said…

Control system for a blood pump

Granted: June 21, 2011
Patent Number: 7963905
A method of controlling the speed of a blood pump, wherein the method includes the steps of deriving an estimated pulsatility index from speed, then deriving an estimated blood pressure from estimated pulsatility index; and maintaining target blood flow rate near to or at a preset value by adjusting the speed.