Methods for upgrading ventricle assist devices

• US 9,629,948 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2015
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TC1 LLC (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: TC1 LLC (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schade, Christian, Kimball, Brian, Kopson, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Holmes, Rex R
• Application Number:
  US14/687,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20150290376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3365 Rotational speed
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• 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 60/178 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 60/232 Centrifugal pumps
• 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 60/422 the force acting on the blood contacting member being electromagnetic, e.g. using canned motor pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/538 Regulation using real-time blood pump operational parameter data, e.g. motor current
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/562 for making blood flow pulsatile in blood pumps that do not intrinsically create pulsatile flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/585 User interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/814 Volutes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/822 specially adapted for being actively controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/824 Hydrodynamic or fluid film bearings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/863 Apex rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/88 Percutaneous cables
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for an updatable blood pump are disclosed herein. The blood pump can be part of a mechanical circulatory support system that can include a system controller and the blood pump. The blood pump can include a rotary motor and a control unit that can communicate with the system controller. The system controller can initiate the update process and can provide the update to the blood pump. Upon initiation of the update process, the control unit can stop the rotary motor. While the rotary motor is stopped, the blood pump can be updated. At the completion of the update, the rotary pump can be restarted.

Claims

1. A method of updating an implantable blood pump, the method comprising:

determining initiation of an update process within an implantable control unit included as part of the implantable blood pump;

stopping the blood pump for a predetermined amount of time;

receiving an update while the blood pump is stopped; and

restarting the blood pump after the completion of the update process.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying the update; and

replacing an un-updated application with the update.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

identifying one of a plurality of un-updated applications for replacement by the updated application, wherein the identification of one of the plurality of un-updated applications comprises generation of a checksum based on the one of the un-updated applications.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the implantable blood pump is updated non-invasively or without ex-plantation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the update comprises wirelessly receiving update information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein stopping the blood pump comprises one of generating a stop signal and cutting power to a rotary motor.