Functional element, in particular fluid pump, having a housing and a conveying element

Abstract

The invention relates to a fluid pump having a housing delimiting a fluid chamber and having a conveying element for the fluid disposed in the fluid chamber, the housing, with respect to the shape and/or size thereof, being able to be changed between at least a first, expanded state and a second, compressed state. The object, to stabilise adequately a corresponding housing, is achieved according to the invention by the housing having at least one stabilisation chamber which can be supplied with a fluid pressure and is different from the fluid chamber, the first state of the housing being assigned to a first fluid pressure in the stabilisation chamber and the second state of the housing being assigned to a second fluid pressure.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A fluid pump comprising:
 a catheter;   a conveying element;   an expandable housing defining an inner chamber configured to receive the conveying element, the housing coupled to a distal end of the catheter and being configured to transition between a compressed state and an expanded state within a blood vessel, the housing comprising:
 an outflow opening; 
 an inflow opening positioned distal to the outflow opening; 
 an inner wall; and 
 an outer wall; and 
   a one-way inflow valve configured to prevent fluid from flowing out of the inner chamber through the inflow opening,   wherein the conveying element is disposed within the inner chamber and configured to be radially compressed by the inner wall when the housing is in the compressed state, and   wherein the conveying element is further configured to pulsate to convey fluid from the inflow opening to the outflow opening when the housing is in the expanded state.   
     
     
         26 . The fluid pump according to  claim 25 , wherein the fluid pump further comprises a one-way outflow valve configured to prevent fluid from flowing into the inner chamber through the outflow opening. 
     
     
         27 . The fluid pump according to  claim 26 , configured such that, during operation of the pump, fluid is suctioned into the inner chamber through the inflow opening and expelled out of the inner chamber through the outflow opening. 
     
     
         28 . The fluid pump according to  claim 26 , wherein the outflow valve comprises one or more valve flaps. 
     
     
         29 . The fluid pump according to  claim 25 , wherein the inflow valve comprises one or more valve flaps. 
     
     
         30 . The fluid pump according to  claim 25 , wherein the housing comprises the inflow valve. 
     
     
         31 . The fluid pump according to  claim 25 , further comprising an elongate hose comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the elongate hose connected to the inflow opening of the housing and the distal end of the elongate hose configured to extend into a ventricle of a patient. 
     
     
         32 . The fluid pump according to  claim 31 , wherein the elongate hose comprises the inflow valve. 
     
     
         33 . The fluid pump according to  claim 31 , wherein the housing is configured to be positioned within an aorta and the elongate hose is configured to extend across an aortic valve. 
     
     
         34 . The fluid pump according to  claim 25 , wherein at least one of the inner wall and the outer wall is configured to contract elastically from the expanded state into the compressed state. 
     
     
         35 . The fluid pump according to  claim 25 , the fluid pump further comprising at least one expandable stabilization chamber, wherein the housing is configured to transition between the compressed state and the expanded state based on a change in inflation pressure of the at least one expandable stabilization chamber. 
     
     
         36 . The fluid pump according to  claim 35 , wherein the at least one expandable stabilization chamber is disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall. 
     
     
         37 . The fluid pump according to  claim 35 , wherein the at least one expandable stabilization chamber is configured to be supplied with a fluid pressure, wherein the compressed state of the housing corresponds to a first fluid pressure in the expandable stabilization chamber and the expanded state of the housing corresponds to a second fluid pressure in the expandable stabilization chamber, and wherein the second fluid pressure is higher than the first fluid pressure. 
     
     
         38 . A fluid pump comprising:
 a catheter;   a conveying element;   an expandable housing defining an inner chamber configured to receive the conveying element, the housing coupled to a distal end of the catheter and being configured to transition between a compressed state and an expanded state within a blood vessel, the housing comprising:
 an outflow opening; 
 an inflow opening positioned distal to the outflow opening; 
 an inner wall; and 
 an outer wall; and 
   a one-way outflow valve configured to prevent fluid from flowing into the inner chamber through the outflow opening,   wherein the conveying element is disposed within the inner chamber and configured to be radially compressed by the inner wall when the housing is in the compressed state, and   wherein the conveying element is further configured to pulsate to convey fluid from the inflow opening to the outflow opening when the housing is in the expanded state.   
     
     
         39 . The fluid pump according to  claim 38 , wherein the outflow valve comprises one or more valve flaps. 
     
     
         40 . The fluid pump according to  claim 38 , wherein the housing comprises the outflow valve. 
     
     
         41 . The fluid pump according to  claim 38 , further comprising an elongate hose comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the elongate hose connected to the inflow opening of the housing and the distal end of the elongate hose configured to extend into a ventricle of a patient.