Blood Pump With An Ultrasonic Transducer

Abstract

A blood pump including a ultrasonic sensor mounted in or on a blood contacting surface of said blood pump. The ultrasonic sensor measures blood velocity and reports information to a blood pump controller and wherein the ultrasonic sensor is directed to measure blood velocity in an inflow cannula connected to the blood pump.

1 . A blood pump including a ultrasonic sensor mounted in or on a blood contacting surface of said blood pump, said ultrasonic sensor measures blood velocity and reports information to a blood pump controller and wherein said ultrasonic sensor is directed to measure blood velocity in an inflow cannula connected to the blood pump. 
     
     
         2 . The blood pump of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic sensor is mounted on a lower surface of the blood pump. 
     
     
         2 . The blood pump of  claim 2 , wherein the blood pump is a rotary blood pump and includes a shaft-less rotary impeller. 
     
     
         3 . The blood pump of  claim 3 , wherein said blood pump controller adjusts a pumping speed setpoint of the blood pump in accordance with the detected blood flow in the inflow cannula 
     
     
         4 . The blood pump of  claim 4 , wherein the blood pump is fully implanted within the body of the patient. 
     
     
         5 . The blood pump of  claim 5 , wherein said blood pump controller is implanted within the patient and wirelessly transmits power and data with an external system. 
     
     
         7 . The blood pump of  claim 1 , wherein the blood pump controller derives haematocrit values from the detected blood flow, actual speed of blood pump, and power consumed by blood pump. 
     
     
         8 . The blood pump of  claim 1 , wherein the blood pump controller calculates the imminence of a collapse of the left ventricle or occlusion based the detected values of blood flow. 
     
     
         9 . The blood pump of  claim 2 , wherein the blood pump controller pulses the pumping speed setpoint of the blood pump synchronously with the pulsing of blood flow detected in the inflow cannula 
     
     
         10 . A blood pump including at least one ultrasonic sensor mounted within a portion of the blood pump, wherein the sensor is aimed at the cavity of a ventricle and is capable of detecting or measuring motion of the either the aortic or mitral valves. 
     
     
         11 . The blood pump of  claim 10 , wherein said ultrasonic sensor is connected to a pump controller, which maintains the pumping speed of said pump, and wherein pump controller adjusts pumping state in accordance the detected motion of the aortic or mitral valves. 
     
     
         12 . A blood pump including at least one ultrasonic sensor mounted within a portion of the blood pump, wherein the sensor measures blood flow and a pump controller, which is connected to the sensor and pump, calculates haematocrit based on measured flow.