Patent Grant
9821100
The present disclosure relates to blood pump assemblies. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a housing component of a blood pump assembly.
A blood pump assembly, such as an intracardiac blood pump assembly, is introduced in the heart to deliver blood from the heart into an artery. Blood pump assemblies pull blood from the left ventricle of the heart and expel blood into the aorta. The blood pump assemblies may be introduced percutaneously during a cardiac procedure through the vascular system. Specifically, the pump assemblies can be inserted via a catheterization procedure through the femoral artery, into the ascending aorta, across the valve and into the left ventricle. The pumping of blood via a blood pump assembly can damage the blood or cause hemolysis as the blood is drawn through the blood pump assembly.
Devices and methods of manufacture and implementation described herein provide blood pump assemblies with housing components designed to reduce hemolysis and damage to blood. The blood pump housing includes blood exhaust apertures designed to expel the blood. The blood exhaust apertures have inner edges which are blunted with a chamfer or a round. Blunting the inner edge of the aperture causes a significant reduction in hemolysis. The use of chamfered inner edges on the blood exhaust apertures allows the blood to follow a flow pattern in which the shear stresses may be decreased compared to flow past sharp or unblunted edges. This causes fewer red blood cells to be ruptured as the blood flows through the cannula and out through the blood pump housing, resulting in lower hemolysis. For example, the use of chamfered inner aperture edges in the blood pump housing can reduce markers of hemolysis by over 50% compared to standard aperture edges.
In some implementations, non-adjacent inner and outer edges of the blood pump housing are chamfered. This reduces the profile of struts of the blood pump housing component orthogonal to the direction of the blood exiting the blood pump housing. Such a chamfer configuration significant reduces shear stress induced in blood exiting the aperture and decreases the area of wakes induced in the blood flow by the pump housing struts. These effects may reduce hemolysis in blood flow through the blood pump housing.
In some implementations the chamfered edge may include a chamfer of 45°. In some implementations the chamfered edge may include a chamfer of 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, >50°, or any other suitable angle. In some implementations the chamfered inner edge may include an alternate chamfer with two chamfered edges being substantially parallel to the flow of blood through the aperture such that the two edges are positioned opposite one another on a strut. In some implementations the inner edge of the aperture instead or in addition to being chamfered may be rounded or alternately chamfered. In some implementations the rounded edge may include a radius ranging from 40 microns to 105 microns. In some implementations the aperture edge may be rounded only in some locations.
Various implementations provide blood pump assemblies and methods of manufacturing blood pump assemblies. In one aspect, a blood pump assembly includes a pump and an impeller blade rotatably coupled to the pump. The blood pump assembly also includes a pump housing component sized for passage through a body lumen and coupled to the pump. The pump housing component includes a peripheral wall having an inner surface and an outer surface. The peripheral wall includes one or more blood exhaust apertures. Each blood exhaust aperture defined by an inner edge and an outer edge. Each inner edge of the blood exhaust aperture includes a chamfered portion between the inner surface and the outer surface.
In some implementations, the blood pump assembly includes an inner edge including a chamfer of about 45°. In other implementations, the blood pump assembly includes an outer edge which is rounded between the inner wall surface and the outer surface. In particular implementations, the rounded outer edge has a radius of 40 microns or greater. In other implementations, the rounded outer edge has a radius of 105 microns or greater. In some implementations, the blood pump assembly has an outer edge which is rounded in its entirety. The blood pump assembly may be electropolished, mechanically polished or polished in any other suitable way. In some implementations, the blood pump assembly includes an inner edge with a first chamfered portion having a first chamfer angle and a second chamfered portion having a second chamfer angle greater than the first chamfer angle. The blood pump assembly may include an impeller blade positioned at least in part in the pump housing component. The blood pump assembly may include a pump housing component coupled to the pump at a first end and coupled to a cannula at a second end opposite the first end. The cannula component includes a blood inlet manifold. In some implementations, the blood pump assembly also includes a pigtail extension coupled to the blood inlet manifold.
In another aspect, a blood pump assembly includes a pump and an impeller blade rotatably coupled to the pump. The blood pump assembly also includes a pump housing component sized for passage through a body lumen and coupled to the pump. The pump housing component includes a peripheral wall having an inner surface and an outer surface. The peripheral wall includes a plurality of struts. Each strut has a first and second inner edge and a first and second outer edge. Each first inner edge and second outer edge are chamfered between the inner surface and the outer surface wherein the first inner edge and the second inner edge are non-adjacent. The peripheral wall also includes one or more blood exhaust apertures. Each blood exhaust aperture is disposed between a pair of the plurality of struts.
In some implementations, each first inner edge and each second outer edge of the plurality of struts has a chamfer angle of about 45°. The blood pump assembly may be electropolished, mechanically polished, hand-polished or polished by any suitable method. The blood pump assembly includes an impeller blade positioned at least in part in the pump housing component. The pump housing component is coupled to the pump at a first end. The pump housing component is coupled to a cannula component at a second end opposite the first end. In some implementations, the cannula component includes a blood inlet manifold. The blood pump assembly may include a pigtail extension coupled to the blood inlet manifold.
In another aspect, a method of manufacturing a blood pump assembly includes rotatably coupling an impeller blade to a pump. The method also includes coupling the pump to a pump housing component. The pump housing component includes a peripheral wall extending about a rotation axis of the propeller blade. The peripheral wall includes an inner surface and an outer surface positioned radially outward of the inner surface with respect to the rotation axis of the impeller. The method also includes forming a plurality of blood exhaust apertures in the peripheral wall. Each blood exhaust aperture is defined by an inner edge and an outer edge. The inner edge of the blood exhaust aperture includes a rounded edge portion and a chamfered edge portion.
In some implementations, the method of coupling the pump to the pump housing components includes positioning the impeller blade rotatably coupled to the pump at least in part within the pump housing component. In some implementations, forming the plurality of blood exhaust apertures includes forming the outer edge by a tumbling process. In certain implementations, the outer edge is formed by a rolling process or by removing a right angled edge. In some implementations, forming the plurality of blood exhaust apertures includes rounding the entirety of the outer aperture edge between the inner surface and the outer surface. In certain implementations, the inner edge is rounded or chamfered by a tumbling process, a rolling process, or any other suitable method for removing a right angled edge. In some implementations, the pump housing component is coupled to the pump at a first end of the pump housing component and a cannula component is coupled to the second end of the pump housing component opposite the first end. The cannula component includes a blood inlet manifold. In some implementations a pigtail extension may be coupled to the blood inlet manifold. In some implementations the pump housing component is electropolished.
In another aspect, a method of operating a blood pump assembly includes rotating an impeller about a rotation axis to draw blood into a cannula portion of a blood pump assembly at a blood inlet manifold using a pump motor coupled to the cannula portion by a pump housing component and expelling blood from the blood pump assembly via a plurality of blood exhaust apertures in the peripheral wall. The pump housing component includes a peripheral wall extending about the rotation axis of the impeller blade. The peripheral wall includes an inner peripheral wall surface and an outer peripheral wall surface positioned radially outward of the inner peripheral wall surface with respect to the rotation axis. Each blood exhaust aperture in the plurality of blood exhaust apertures is defined by an inner aperture edge and an outer aperture edge, the inner aperture edge including a chamfered edge portion chamfered between the inner peripheral wall surface and the outer peripheral wall surface. In some implementations, the impeller blade is positioned at least in part in the pump housing component. In certain implementations, the blood inlet manifold includes a plurality of inlet openings. In some implementations, the method further comprises coupling a pigtail extension to the blood inlet manifold.
Variations and modifications will occur to those of skill in the art after reviewing this disclosure. The disclosed features may be implemented, in any combination and subcombination (including multiple dependent combinations and subcombinations), with one or more other features described herein. The various features described or illustrated above, including any components thereof may be combined or integrated in other systems. Moreover, certain features may be omitted or not implemented.
The skilled artisan will understand that the drawings primarily are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the subject matter described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale; in some instances, various aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein may be shown exaggerated or enlarged in the drawings to facilitate an understanding of different features. In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to like features (e.g., functionally similar and/or structurally similar elements).
The features and advantages of the inventive concepts disclosed herein will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings.
Following below are more detailed descriptions of various concepts related to, and implementations of, inventive systems and methods of providing a blood pump assembly. It should be appreciated that various concepts introduced above and discussed in greater detail below may be implemented in any of numerous ways, as the disclosed concepts are not limited to any particular manner of implementation. Examples of specific implementations and applications are provided primarily for illustrative purposes.
The systems, devices, and methods described herein reduce hemolysis and similar blood damage resulting from blood flow through the blood pump. By adjusting the aperture edges of the blood pump housing or making additional adjustments to the housing to ensure proper positioning, among other design aspects, occurrence of hemolysis with use of the blood pump assembly is decreased.
The pump housing component 102 may be composed of a metal. In some implementations, the pump housing component 102 is electropolished. The rounded edge portions 105a-f of circumferential aperture surfaces 104a-f may be formed via tumbling, rolling, machining, or any other suitable material removal process, such that the circumferential aperture surfaces 104a-f are rounded, at least in part, in a region between the inner surface 107 and the outer surface 108. Prior to rounding a portion of the inner edge 116 or the outer edge 118, the circumferential aperture surface 104a-f and the inner surface 107 or outer surface 108 may include an edge configured at a 90 degree angle or chamfered. Accordingly, the circumferential aperture edge may be rounded or chamfered to remove a right angled edge.
As depicted in
The strut cross-section 602 causes reduced flow interruption resulting in lower shear stresses compared to strut cross sections 302, 402 and 502 (e.g., 10% lower, 20% lower, 30% lower, or less). There is a relatively small area of elevated shear stress 608 as the blood travels around the strut and through the blood exhaust aperture due to the sharp leading edge 603c that is directed toward the interior of the blood pump housing and chamfered edges 603a-b which are substantially parallel to the flow of blood out of the blood pump housing. The wake 604 downstream from the strut 602 is relatively small (e.g., about 50%, 30%, 20%, or <20% the size of the wake 304) with only relatively small areas of disrupted flow. Thus, the chamfer geometry of strut 604 results in relatively low flow disruption which may reduce hemolysis compared to strut cross sections 302, 402 and 502.
The aforementioned blood pump housing components can be incorporated into a blood pump assembly.
The blood pump assembly 801 includes a catheter 807 coupled to the blood pump 801. In some implementations, the blood pump 801 includes a motor. In such cases, the catheter 807 may house electrical lines coupling the pump motor to one or more electrical controllers or other sensors. In certain implementations, the blood pump is driven by a pump portion external to the patient (e.g., via a flexible drive shaft). The catheter 807 may also house other components, such as a purge fluid conduit, or other conduits configured to receive a guidewire. The housing component 802 includes one or more apertures or openings configured to expel or exhaust blood drawn into cannula 804 out of the blood pump assembly 800. In some implementations, the housing component 802 encapsulates the blood pump 801. In some implementations, blood pump 801 includes a micro-axial pump having a pumping capability, including, but not limited to, a range of 5 L/min and 2.5 L/min. In some implementations, blood pump 801 includes a micro axial pump having a diameter including, but not limited to, a range of 21 Fr to 10 Fr.
Blood pump 801 includes an impeller blade 803 rotatably coupled to the blood pump 801. The cannula 804 may include an elongated flexible hose portion and may include a shape memory coil, such as a nitinol coil. In some implementations, the cannula 804 is composed, at least in part, of a polyurethane material. In some implementations, the cannula 804 has a diameter including, but not limited to, a range of 12 Fr to 9 Fr. In some implementations, cannula 804 includes a 45° bend. The cannula 804 includes a blood inlet manifold 805 coupled to the cannula 804 at a proximal end of the cannula 804 to receive blood flow into the blood pump assembly 800. The blood inlet manifold 805 includes one or more blood inlet openings positioned in the inlet manifold 805. The blood inlet manifold 805 couples a pigtail extension 806 to the cannula 804. In some implementations, the pigtail extension has a diameter of 6 Fr. In some implementations, the pigtail extension has a diameter in the range of 4-8 Fr.
The pigtail extension 806 assists with stabilizing and positioning the blood pump assembly 800 in the correct position in the left ventricle of a heart. In some implementations, the blood pump assembly 800 is inserted percutaneously through the femoral artery and into the left ventricle. When properly positioned, the blood pump assembly 800 delivers blood from the inlet area at the blood inlet manifold 805, which sits inside the left ventricle, through the cannula 804, to the outlet openings of the housing component 802 positioned in the ascending aorta.
In accordance with some implementations, the pigtail extension 806 is configurable from a straight configuration to a partially curved configuration. Accordingly, the pigtail extension 806 may be composed, at least in part, of a flexible material. In accordance with some implementations, the pigtail extension 806 has a dual stiffness. More specifically, in some implementations, the pigtail extension 806 includes a distal section 810 composed of a material that is softer or has a lower stiffness than proximal section 808 of the pigtail extension 806. The proximal section may be composed of a different material and have a different structure than the blood inlet manifold 805 and the cannula 804. The proximal section 808 may be stiff enough to substantially prevent section 808 from buckling, thereby keeping the blood inlet openings in the blood inlet manifold 805 out of the ventricle apex of the heart while reducing the probability of the blood outlet openings or blood exhaust apertures in the housing component 802 from moving into the aortic valve of the heart or into the ventricle of the heart. The distal section 810 of the pigtail extension 806 is flexible with respect to the proximal section 808, to provide an atraumatic tip for contact with the ventricle wall and to allow for guidewire loading. In some implementations, the proximal section 808 and the distal section 810 of the pigtail extension are composed of different materials having different stiffness. In some implementations, the proximal section 108 and the distal section 810 of the pigtail extension are composed of the same material having different stiffness.
As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially” and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and are considered to be within the scope of the disclosure.
For the purpose of this disclosure, the term “coupled” means the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary or moveable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being attached to one another. Such joining may be permanent in nature or may be removable or releasable in nature.
It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary implementations, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure. It is recognized that features of the disclosed implementations can be incorporated into other disclosed implementations.
It is important to note that the constructions and arrangements of apparatuses or the components thereof as shown in the various exemplary implementations are illustrative only. Although only a few implementations have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter disclosed. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative implementations. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may also be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the various exemplary implementations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
While various inventive implementations have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other mechanisms and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the inventive implementations described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that, unless otherwise noted, any parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the inventive teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific inventive implementations described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing implementations are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, inventive implementations may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Inventive implementations of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the inventive scope of the present disclosure.
Also, the technology described herein may be implemented as a method, of which at least one example has been provided. The acts performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable way unless otherwise specifically noted. Accordingly, implementations may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different than illustrated, which may include performing some acts simultaneously, even though shown as sequential acts in illustrative implementations.
The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.” As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of” or “exactly one of” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of” “only one of” or “exactly one of.”
As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one implementation, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another implementation, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another implementation, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.
In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to.
The claims should not be read as limited to the described order or elements unless stated to that effect. It should be understood that various changes in form and detail may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. All implementations that come within the spirit and scope of the following claims and equivalents thereto are claimed.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/711,143, filed May 13, 2015, which claims benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/992,835 filed May 13, 2014, the content of each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14711143 | May 2015 | US |
| Child | 15237836 | US |
