Monitoring of redundant conductors
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A blood pump system comprising:
- a blood pump configured for implantation in a patient;
an external power supply configured to supply an electrical current to the blood pump for operation of the blood pump;
a percutaneous drive line including a first electrical conductor providing a first electrical current path between the external power supply and the blood pump and a second electrical conductor providing a second electrical current path between the external power supply and the blood pump, the second electrical current path being separated from and redundant to the first electrical current path over a redundant length of the percutaneous drive line such that, in the event of a discontinuity in one of the first and second current paths, the other of the first and second current paths will conduct an increased amount of the electrical current from the external power supply to the blood pump; and
a monitor including a current measuring device and a processing device, the current measuring device configured to measure electrical current in the first conductor and the processing device configured to monitor the electrical current in the first conductor and produce an information signal based on a comparison between the electrical current measured in the first conductor and a reference electrical current magnitude, the information signal indicating whether a discontinuity or a short occurred for the second conductor based on the comparison between the measured electrical current in the first conductor and the reference electrical current magnitude and not based on a measured current in the second conductor.
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Abstract
This document relates to continuity monitoring of electrical conductors. For example, materials and methods for continuity monitoring of conductors for use providing power to a blood pump (e.g., an assist device) are provided.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A blood pump system comprising:
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a blood pump configured for implantation in a patient; an external power supply configured to supply an electrical current to the blood pump for operation of the blood pump; a percutaneous drive line including a first electrical conductor providing a first electrical current path between the external power supply and the blood pump and a second electrical conductor providing a second electrical current path between the external power supply and the blood pump, the second electrical current path being separated from and redundant to the first electrical current path over a redundant length of the percutaneous drive line such that, in the event of a discontinuity in one of the first and second current paths, the other of the first and second current paths will conduct an increased amount of the electrical current from the external power supply to the blood pump; and a monitor including a current measuring device and a processing device, the current measuring device configured to measure electrical current in the first conductor and the processing device configured to monitor the electrical current in the first conductor and produce an information signal based on a comparison between the electrical current measured in the first conductor and a reference electrical current magnitude, the information signal indicating whether a discontinuity or a short occurred for the second conductor based on the comparison between the measured electrical current in the first conductor and the reference electrical current magnitude and not based on a measured current in the second conductor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method comprising:
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transferring an electrical current from an external power supply to an implantable blood pump via a percutaneous drive line including a first electrical conductor providing a first electrical current path between the external power supply and the implantable blood pump and a second electrical conductor providing a second electrical current path between the external power supply and the implantable blood pump, the second electrical current path being separated from and redundant to the first electrical current path over a redundant length of the percutaneous drive line such that, in the event of a discontinuity in one of the first and second current paths, the other of the first and second current paths will conduct an increased amount of the electrical current from the external power supply to the implantable blood pump; measuring electrical current flowing in the first electrical conductor; generating, using at least one processing device, an information signal indicative of whether a discontinuity or a short occurred in the second electrical conductor based on the measured electrical current in the first electrical conductor and not based on a measured current in the second electrical conductor by comparing the measured electrical current in the first conductor with a reference electrical current magnitude; and processing the information signal to trigger an audible and/or visual alarm in the event that the information signal indicates the occurrence of a discontinuity or short in the second electrical conductor. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification