Pumping blood

Abstract

A blood pump includes a rotor having a flared portion downstream proximate a downstream bearing that supports the rotor. The flared portion of the rotor includes a width greater than a width of an upstream portion of the rotor. A blood pump also includes a housing having an internal wall with a flared portion downstream of a motor stator and proximate a transverse outlet.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A graft assembly configured to provide fluid communication between an outlet of a blood pump and a circulatory system of a patient, the graft assembly comprising:
 a conduit defining a lumen having a first end configured to couple with the outlet of the blood pump and a second end configured to couple with the circulatory system of the patient;   a support structure disposed about the first end of the conduit, the support structure including a lip that extends about the conduit;   a fitting comprising an engagement feature configured to couple with a corresponding engagement feature of the outlet of the blood pump, the fitting configured to couple the first end of the conduit with the outlet of the blood pump by sliding about the support structure to compress the lip of the support structure against a portion of the outlet of the blood pump to form a seal and by engaging with the corresponding engagement feature of the outlet of the blood pump.   
     
     
         26 . The graft assembly of  claim 25 , further comprising a wire helically wrapped about the conduit. 
     
     
         27 . The graft assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the support structure is molded over the first end of the conduit. 
     
     
         28 . The graft assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the wire is embedded within the support structure. 
     
     
         29 . The graft assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the lip of the support structure is configured to engage with a recessed portion of the outlet of the blood pump. 
     
     
         30 . The graft assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the lip of the support structure is configured to engage with a raised portion of the outlet of the blood pump prior to the fitting sliding about the support structure to compress the lip of the support structure against the portion of the outlet of the blood pump. 
     
     
         31 . The graft assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the engagement feature of the fitting is configured to snap over and couple with the raised portion of the outlet of the blood pump. 
     
     
         32 . The graft assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the lip extends laterally inward from the conduit. 
     
     
         33 . The graft assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the lip extends laterally outward from the conduit. 
     
     
         34 . The graft assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the engagement feature of the fitting comprises a threaded engagement feature configured to engage with external threads of the blood pump. 
     
     
         35 . The graft assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the fitting comprises two semi-cylindrical pieces configured to attach to each other about the outlet of the blood pump. 
     
     
         36 . A system comprising:
 a blood pump having a housing defining an inlet and an outlet;   a graft assembly configured to couple the outlet of the blood pump to a circulatory system of a patient, the graft assembly including:   a conduit defining a lumen having a first end configured to couple with the outlet of the blood pump and a second end configured to couple with the circulatory system of the patient;   a support structure disposed about the first end of the conduit, the support structure including a lip that extends about the conduit;   a fitting configured to couple the first end of the conduit with the outlet of the blood pump by sliding about the support structure to compress the lip of the support structure against a portion of the outlet of the blood pump to form a seal and by engaging with the corresponding engagement feature of the outlet of the blood pump.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the graft assembly further comprises a wire helically wrapped about the conduit, wherein the support structure is molded over the first end of the conduit, and wherein the wire is embedded within the support structure. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the housing of the blood pump defines a recessed portion about the outlet of the blood pump and wherein the lip of the support structure is configured to engage with the recessed portion of the outlet of the blood pump. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the housing of the blood pump further defines a raised portion about the outlet of the blood pump that is adjacent to the recessed portion of the outlet, and wherein the lip of the support structure is configured to engage with the raised portion of the outlet of the blood pump prior to the fitting sliding about the support structure to compress the lip of the support structure against the portion of the outlet of the blood pump. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the fitting comprises an engagement feature configured to couple with a corresponding engagement feature of the outlet of the blood pump. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the engagement feature of the fitting is configured to engage with the outlet by snapping over the raised portion of the outlet of the blood pump or by engaging external threads of the outlet of the blood pump. 
     
     
         42 . A graft assembly configured to provide fluid communication between an outlet of a blood pump and a circulatory system of a patient, the graft assembly comprising:
 a conduit defining a lumen having a first end configured to couple with the outlet of the blood pump and a second end configured to couple with the circulatory system of the patient;   a wire helically wrapped about the conduit;   a support structure disposed about the first end of the conduit, the support structure including a lip that extends about the conduit;   a fitting configured to couple the first end of the conduit with the outlet of the blood pump by sliding about the support structure to compress the lip of the support structure against a portion of the outlet of the blood pump to form a seal and by engaging with the corresponding engagement feature of the outlet of the blood pump.   
     
     
         43 . The graft assembly of  claim 42 , wherein the fitting comprises an engagement feature configured to couple with a corresponding engagement feature of the outlet of the blood pump, and wherein the engagement feature of the fitting is configured to engage with the outlet by snapping over the raised portion of the outlet of the blood pump or by engaging external threads of the outlet of the blood pump. 
     
     
         44 . The graft assembly of  claim 42 , wherein the lip extends laterally inward from the conduit and laterally outward from the conduit.