Percutaneous heart pump

Abstract

Disclosed herein are heart pumps that can include a catheter body and an impeller coupled with a distal end of the catheter body. The impeller can include a tip that is resealable or that includes a resealable member. The heart pump can also include a diffuser disposed between the distal end of the catheter body and the impeller, wherein the diffuser includes a flow directing surface.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A heart pump configured to be applied percutaneously, comprising:
 a catheter assembly comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and an elongate body extending therebetween;   an impeller assembly comprising an impeller and a housing in which the impeller is disposed; and   a sheath assembly disposed over at least a portion of the distal end of the catheter body, the sheath assembly comprising an expandable distal end operable to facilitate collapsing and expanding the impeller housing.   
     
     
         25 . The heart pump of  claim 24 , wherein the expandable distal end is configured to expand when a radial force is applied, and contract when the radial force is removed. 
     
     
         26 . The heart pump of  claim 24 , wherein the expandable distal end has a conical configuration in an expanded position, and a cylindrical configuration in a non-expanded position. 
     
     
         27 . The heart pump of  claim 24 , wherein the expandable distal end includes at least one axial slit. 
     
     
         28 . The heart pump of  claim 24 , wherein the expandable distal end includes a plurality of elongate members. 
     
     
         29 . The heart pump of  claim 28 , wherein each of the plurality of elongate members has a length that is greater than an axial length of an outlet portion of the impeller housing. 
     
     
         30 . The heart pump of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of elongate members are made of an elastic material. 
     
     
         31 . The heart pump of  claim 28 , wherein the expandable distal end includes a deformable webbing extending between the plurality of elongate members. 
     
     
         32 . The heart pump of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of elongate members have a first stiffness that is greater than a second stiffness of a proximal portion of the sheath assembly. 
     
     
         33 . The heart pump of  claim 24 , wherein the expandable distal end includes an integral funnel layered over an outer surface and an inner surface of a non-expandable portion of the sheath assembly. 
     
     
         34 . The heart pump of  claim 33 , wherein the integral funnel is slidable relative to the inner surface and the outer surface of the non-expandable portion.