Method and apparatus for long-term assisting a left ventricle to pump blood

Abstract

A method and apparatus for long-term assisting the left ventricle of a heart to pump blood is disclosed which includes at least one transluminally deliverable pump and a transluminally deliverable support structure which secures the at least one pump within the aorta for long-term use.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A blood flow assist system comprising:
 at least one power wire;   a plurality of pumps configured to be electrically connected to the at least one power wire, each pump of the plurality of pumps including an impeller that provides blood flow when rotated; and   a support structure that supports the pumps in a vessel of a circulatory system of a patient during operation of the blood flow assist system, wherein the support structure is configured to allow placement in a collapsed configuration disengaged from a vessel wall of the vessel and subsequent placement in an expanded configuration in which an outer surface of the support structure contacts a vessel wall of the vessel.   
     
     
         3 . The blood flow assist system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of pumps are configured to be disposed in parallel with a longitudinal axis of the vessel. 
     
     
         4 . The blood flow assist system of  claim 3 , wherein a first pump in the plurality of pumps is configured to be disposed cranially to a second pump in the plurality of pumps. 
     
     
         5 . The blood flow assist system of  claim 2 , wherein the support structure comprises a stent. 
     
     
         6 . The blood flow assist system of  claim 2 , wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of support members, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a plurality of struts. 
     
     
         7 . The blood flow assist system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one power wire comprises a plurality of power wires. 
     
     
         8 . The blood flow assist system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of pumps are configured to be deployed and operate in parallel to allow each pump of the plurality of pumps to operate independently. 
     
     
         9 . A blood flow assist system comprising:
 at least one power wire;   a pump housing having a first proximal end and a second distal end;   a pump disposed within the pump housing, the pump electrically connected to the at least one power wire during use of the blood flow assist system, the pump including an impeller that provides blood flow when rotated;   a support structure that supports the pump housing in a vessel of a circulatory system of a patient during operation of the blood flow assist system, wherein the support structure is configured to allow placement in a collapsed configuration disengaged from a vessel wall of the vessel and subsequent placement in an expanded configuration in which an outer surface of the support structure contacts a vessel wall of the vessel, and   a locking mechanism configured to removably connect the support structure with the pump housing.   
     
     
         10 . The blood flow assist system of  claim 9 , wherein a plurality of pumps, each pump of the plurality of pumps comprising an impeller disposed in a pump housing 
     
     
         11 . The blood flow assist system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of pumps are configured to be disposed in parallel with a longitudinal axis of the vessel and/or to be operated in parallel with each other. 
     
     
         12 . The blood flow assist system of  claim 11 , wherein a first pump in the plurality of pumps is disposed cranially to a second pump in the plurality of pumps. 
     
     
         13 . The blood flow assist system of  claim 9 , wherein the support structure comprises a stent. 
     
     
         14 . The blood flow assist system of  claim 9 , wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of support members, wherein the plurality of support members comprises a plurality of struts. 
     
     
         15 . The blood flow assist system of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one power wire comprises a plurality of power wires. 
     
     
         16 . A method of operating a blood flow assist system, the method comprising:
 positioning a support structure at an operational location in an anatomic cavity;   contacting a wall of the anatomic cavity with the support structure;   positioning a pump within the support structure at the operational location;   connecting the pump to the support structure; and   operating the pump to pump blood.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising connecting the pump to the support structure after positioning the support structure at the operational location. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising expanding the support structure from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration to contact the wall of the anatomic cavity. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising, after operating the pump, disconnecting the pump from the support structure and removing the pump from the anatomic cavity. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising replacing the pump with another pump by connecting the other pump to the support structure. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the pump is a first pump and further comprising positioning a second pump in the anatomic cavity and operating the second pump to pump blood. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16  wherein positioning the pump comprises positioning a first pump with a transcatheter technique using a delivery profile and further comprising placing a second pump with a transcatheter technique using the delivery profile. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein positioning the support structure comprises positioning a stent at the operational location.