Circulatory assist pump

Abstract

A minimally invasive circulatory support platform that utilizes an aortic stent pump or pumps is described. The platform uses a low profile catheter-based techniques and provides temporary and chronic circulatory support depending on the needs of the patient. Also described is a catheter-based temporary assist pump to treat patients with acute decompensated heart failure and provide circulatory support to subjects undergoing high risk percutaneous coronary intervention. Further described is a wirelessly powered circulatory assist pump for providing chronic circulatory support for heart failure patients. The platform and system are relatively easy to place, have higher flow rates than existing systems, and provide improvements in the patient's renal function.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system for assisting a subject's heart to pump blood, the system comprising:
 at least one circulatory assist pump comprising an impeller configured to be placed in a subject's aorta and, in operation after placement in the subject's aorta, to rotate to draw blood down the subject's aorta from the subject's heart; and   a stent cage associated with the at least one circulatory assist pump and configured to be placed with the circulatory assist pump in the subject's aorta, the stent cage configured to expand radially outward into an expanded state to affix the stent cage and the at least one circulatory assist pump in a position within the aorta for the operation of the at least one circulatory assist pump, the stent cage comprising wire-like elements sized and shaped to contact and be stable against a wall of the subject's aorta in the expanded state, the size and the shape of the wire-like elements, in the expanded state, are configured to allow an open flow of blood through the wire-like elements after placement of the system within the subject's aorta.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the impeller has an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) liner. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein, when the system is placed and operated in the aorta proximal and above the subject's renal arteries, the system is configured to maintain natural wall pulsatility of the subject's aorta during operation of the at least one circulatory assist pump. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the system is controllable wirelessly. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the speed of the system is controlled wirelessly. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the circulatory assist pump is powered wirelessly. 
     
     
         28 . A method of improving renal function in a subject, the method comprising:
 securely placing the system of  claim 21  within the subject's aorta and actuating the at least one circulatory assist pump.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the system is placed percutaneously. 
     
     
         30 . A method of treating a patient suffering from heart disease, the method comprising:
 placing into the patient's aorta a system comprising:
 at least one circulatory assist pump comprising an impeller, and 
 a stent cage associated with the at least one circulatory assist pump, which stent cage comprises wire-like elements configured to expand radially outward into an expanded state, 
   expanding the stent cage to the expanded state so as to contact and be stable against a wall of the subject's aorta to affix the stent cage and the a least one circulatory assist pump in a position within the patient's aorta, a size and a shape of the wire-like elements, in the expanded state, are configured to allow an open flow of blood through the wire-like elements after expansion of the stent cage within the subject's aorta, and   operating the impeller while the at least one circulatory assist pump is affixed in position within the patient's aorta, so to draw blood down the patient's aorta from the patient's heart.   
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the patient is suffering from heart failure. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein operating the impeller includes controlling the impeller wirelessly. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein controlling the impeller wirelessly includes controlling speed of the impeller. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein the system is powered wirelessly.