Blood pump using cross-flow principles

• US 6,217,541 B1
• Filed: 01/19/1999
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thoratec LLC
• Original Assignee: Kriton Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Yu, Long Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Anhtuan T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thissell, Jeremy
• Application Number:
  US09/233,567
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 600/16, 623/3, 415/53-- 5, 415/900, 416/187, 417/420, 417/423.1, 417/423.4, 604/8, 604/9, 604/151, 604/6.11, 128/898
• US Class Current: 604/9
• 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 60/148 in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/174 discharging the blood to the ventricle or arterial system via a cannula internal to the ventricle or arterial system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/178 drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to the ventricle, e.g. left or right ventricular assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/216 including a rotating member acting on the blood, e.g. impeller
• 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 60/405 the force acting on the blood contacting member being hydraulic or pneumatic
• 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 60/806 Vanes or blades
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/812 Vanes or blades, e.g. static flow guides
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 1/02 having non-centrifugal stages, e.g. centripetal
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/06 the pump being electrically driven
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 415/90 Rotary blood pump

Abstract

A blood pump is provided which comprises a cross-flow pump head having an elongated generally cylindrical housing portion. The housing portion defines a blood inlet port on a surface thereof and a blood outlet port on an opposite surface thereof. An impeller within the housing portion provides cross-flow of the blood from the inlet port around and/or across the rotational axis of the impeller to the outlet, and a motor is provided for driving the cross-flow pump head. The blood pump may be small enough to permit percutaneous insertion of the pump into a patient'"'"'s blood vessel, and thus may be utilizable as a left ventricular assist device. To this end, a collapsible polymeric outflow tube is coupled to the blood flow outlet and is adapted for directing the blood from the left ventricle to the aorta through the aortic valve.

Claims

1. A method for pumping blood, which comprises the steps of:

providing a cross-flow pump head having a housing portion defining a blood inlet port on a surface thereof and a blood outlet port on a surface thereof;

providing an impeller, having impeller blades which rotate about a rotational axis, within said housing intermediate said blood inlet port and said blood outlet port for providing radial blood movement from said inlet port, through the impeller blades and across said rotational axis to the outlet port;

inserting the pump head into a patient'"'"'s blood vessel; and

driving the cross-flow pump head with a motor to rotate the impeller and accelerate the blood from the inlet port and through the impeller blades within the housing portion.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, including the step of coupling the pump head to the patient'"'"'s heart to provide a cardiac assist device.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, including the step of providing a collapsible polymeric outflow tube coupled to the blood flow outlet;

and directing the blood from the patient'"'"'s left ventricle to the patient'"'"'s aorta through the aortic valve.

4. A method as defined in claim 2, including the step of positioning both the pump head and the motor within the patient'"'"'s ventricle.

5. A method as defined in claim 2, including the step of positioning the pump head in the patient'"'"'s ventricle with the motor being located outside of the patient'"'"'s ventricle.

6. A method for assisting a patient'"'"'s heart, comprising the steps of:

providing a cross-flow pump head having a housing portion defining a blood inlet port on a surface thereof and a blood outlet port on a surface thereof;

introducing via the patient'"'"'s arteries said cross-flow pump head having within said housing portion an impeller having an impeller blades which rotate about a rotational axis, with said impeller being located within said housing intermediate said blood inlet port and said blood outlet port for providing radial blood movement from said inlet port, through the impeller blades and across said rotational axis to the outlet port, and a motor for driving said cross-flow pump head;

coupling said cross-flow pump head to the patient'"'"'s heart; and

driving the cross-flow pump head with a motor to rotate the impeller and accelerate the blood from the inlet port and through the impeller blades within the housing portion.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, including the step of providing an outflow tube coupled to said blood flow outlet for directing the blood from the patient'"'"'s left ventricle to the patient'"'"'s aorta through the aortic valve.

8. A method for assisting a patient'"'"'s heart, comprising the steps of:

inserting a catheter into a patient'"'"'s artery;

introducing through the catheter a cross-flow pump including (a) a cross-flow pump head having a housing portion defining a blood inlet port on a surface thereof and a blood outlet port on a surface thereof, (b) an impeller having impeller blades which rotate about a rotational axis, said impeller located within said housing intermediate said blood inlet port and said blood outlet port for providing radial blood movement from said inlet port, through the impeller blades and across said rotational axis to the outlet port, (c) a motor for driving the cross-flow pump head, and (d) a collapsed outflow tube coupled to the blood flow outlet;

locating the cross-flow pump head in the patient'"'"'s ventricle with said outflow tube extending into the patient'"'"'s aorta through the aortic valve;

removing a catheter; and

energizing the motor to rotate the impeller and accelerate the blood from the inlet port and through the impeller blades within the housing portion whereby the blood is pumped from the left ventricle to the aorta.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, including the step of positioning both the pump head and the motor within the patient'"'"'s ventricle.

10. A method as defined in claim 8, including the step of positioning the pump head in the patient'"'"'s ventricle with the motor being located outside of the patient'"'"'s ventricle.