Method and apparatus for cardiac blood flow assistance

• US 5,964,694 A
• Filed: 06/24/1997
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Impella Cardiosystems Gmbh (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Guidant Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Siess, Thorsten, Reul, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EVANISKO, GEORGE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US08/881,884
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 600/16, 600/17, 623/3, 415/900, 417/423.3, 417/423.14, 417/44.2
• US Class Current: 600/17
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/33 Controlling, regulating or measuring
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/00 Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/13 by means of a catheter allowing explantation, e.g. catheter pumps temporarily introduced via the vascular system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/135 inside a blood vessel, e.g. using grafting
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/148 in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/237 the blood flow through the rotating member having mainly axial components, e.g. axial flow pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/414 transmitted by a rotating cable, e.g. for blood pumps mounted on a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/416 transmitted directly by the motor rotor drive shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/419 the force acting on the blood contacting member being permanent magnetic, e.g. from a rotating magnetic coupling between driving and driven magnets
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/422 the force acting on the blood contacting member being electromagnetic, e.g. using canned motor pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/531 using blood pressure data, e.g. from blood pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/538 Regulation using real-time blood pump operational parameter data, e.g. motor current
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/585 User interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/824 Hydrodynamic or fluid film bearings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/825 Contact bearings, e.g. ball-and-cup or pivot bearings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/827 Sealings between moving parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/829 having a purge fluid supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/833 Occluders for preventing backflow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/861 Connections or anchorings for connecting or anchoring pumps or pumping devices to parts of the patient's body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/88 : Percutaneous cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/00 : Structural association of dynamo-electric machines with electric components or with devices for shielding, monitoring or protection casings, enclosures or supports H02K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/02 : of stator or rotor bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/14 : Casings; Enclosures; Supports
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/14 : with magnets rotating within the armatures
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 49/104 : Magnetic couplings consisting of only two coaxial rotary elements, i.e. the driving element and the driven element
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/08 : Insulating casings
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/124 : Sealing of shafts
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/1285 : of the submersible type
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/132 : Submersible electric motors H02K5/128 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/145 : Hand-held machine tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 415/90 : Rotary blood pump
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49009 : Dynamoelectric machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49012 : Rotor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49696 : Mounting

Abstract

An intravascular microaxial pump has an integrated configuration that enables both the drive unit as well as the pumping segment to be advanced through a patient'"'"'s vasculature. The device includes elements that enhance pumping efficiency and performance while minimizing shear and cavitation. Cost reduction is achieved in the reusability of certain components while a manufacturing method reduces the labor involved in the pump'"'"'s assembly.

Claims

1. An intravascular microaxial flow pump, comprising:

a cylindrical drive unit of preselected outer diameter having an electric motor disposed therein driving a shaft distally extending therefrom wherein such shaft is supported by bearing located at the extreme proximal end of said drive unit and the extreme distal end of said drive unit;

a cylindrical pump housing rigidly attached to said drive unit having essentially the same preselected outer diameter and oriented to be coaxially and distally disposed with respect to said drive unit;

an impeller rotatably disposed within said pump housing, driven by said drive shaft, and operative to draw fluid into and through said housing and over drive unit;

a first pressure sensor positioned on said drive unit so as to sense discharge pressure and generate a first signal indicative thereof;

a second pressure sensor positioned on said pump housing so as to sense inlet pressure and generate a second signal indicative thereof; and

a controller, configured for receiving said first signal generated by said first sensor and said second signal generated by said second sensor, processing said signals, and controlling the supply of power to said motor in accordance with such processed signals.

2. The pump of claim 1 further comprising a third sensor for sensing a load imposed on said electric motor wherein said controller is additionally configured to process said third signal and controlling the supply of power to said motor in accordance with such processed signals.

3. The pump of claim 1 further comprising a catheter proximally extending from said drive unit and housing electrical conductors extending from said controller to said electric motor.

4. The pump of claim 3, wherein said catheter additionally houses electrical conductors extending from said first sensor to said controller.

5. An intravascular microaxial flow pump, comprising:

a pump housing having an impeller rotatably disposed therein;

a first sensor operative to generate a first signal indicative of fluid conditions proximal to said impeller;

a second sensor operative to generate a second signal indicative of fluid conditions distal to said impeller;

a controller operative to receive and interpret said first and second signals and generate an output signal indicative of pumping performance.

6. The pump of claim 5, wherein said output signal is indicative of pump position.

7. The pump of claim 5, wherein said output signal is indicative of pump operation.