Intracardiac devices and methods of use

Abstract

Improvements in intracardiac devices, such as intracardiac blood pump assemblies, and related methods. In one example, the technology includes systems and methods for pacing the heart and / or performing cardiac ablation using electrodes attached to a portion of the intracardiac device. In another example, the technology includes systems and methods for detecting mural thrombus in a patient's heart using electrical sensors or ultrasonic phased arrays attached on the intracardiac device. In another example, the technology includes systems and methods for detecting tissue changes and responses in cardiac tissue during treatment using one or more temperature sensors. In another example, the technology includes improved distal tips for use with intracardiac devices. In another example, the technology includes systems and methods for maintaining an intracardiac device in a desired position within a patient's heart using magnets or ultrasonic phased arrays attached to the intracardiac device.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] (CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 176,676, filed April 19, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. [Background technology]

[0002] An intracardiac blood pump assembly can be introduced into the heart either surgically or percutaneously and used to deliver blood from one location in the heart or circulatory system to another location in the heart or circulatory system. For example, an intracardiac blood pump, when placed in the left heart, can pump blood from the left ventricle of the heart to the aorta. Similarly, an intracardiac blood pump, when placed in the right heart, can pump blood from the inferior vena cava to the pulmonary artery. An intracardiac pump can be powered by a motor placed outside the patient's body via an elongated drive shaft (or drive cable) or by an on-board motor placed inside the patient's body. Some intracardiac blood pump systems can operate in parallel with the natural heart to supplement cardiac output and partially or completely unload cardiac components. Examples of such systems include the IMPELLA® family of devices (Abiomed, Inc., Danvers Mass.). Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present technology relates to improvements in intracardiac devices, such as intracardiac blood pump assemblies.

[0004] In one aspect, the present technology includes systems and methods for pacing the heart and / or performing cardiac ablation using electrodes attached to a portion of an intracardiac device. For example, in the case of an intracardiac device configured to be inserted into a patient's right heart, one or more sensors and one or more electrodes may be attached to the intracardiac device at a point that comes to rest on Koch's triangle. The intracardiac device may be configured to sense an abnormality (e.g., arrhythmia) and pace the heart using the electrodes. Similarly, the intracardiac device may be configured to sense an abnormality and perform cardiac ablation to interrupt the nerve bundle that is responsible for the abnormality.

[0005] In this regard, the present disclosure describes an intracardiac blood pump assembly comprising: an elongate catheter; an impeller housing coupled to a distal end of the elongate catheter, the impeller housing enclosing an impeller configured to draw blood into a cannula coupled to the distal end of the impeller housing; one or more electrical sensors attached to the cannula and configured to sense electrical pulses in the AV node or His bundle of the patient's heart when the intracardiac blood pump assembly is inserted into the right ventricle of the patient's heart; and one or more electrical emitters attached to the cannula and configured to emit pulses of electrical energy into the AV node or His bundle of the patient's heart when the intracardiac blood pump assembly is inserted into the right ventricle of the patient's heart. In some aspects, the assembly further comprises one or more processors configured to receive one or more signals of the one or more electrical sensors and determine the presence of an abnormal heartbeat based on the one or more electrical sensors. In some aspects, the one or more processors are further configured to cause the one or more electrical emitters to emit a pulse of electrical energy into the AV node or the His bundle sufficient to pace the patient's heart when the intracardiac blood pump assembly is inserted into a right ventricle of the patient's heart. In some aspects, the one or more processors are further configured to cause the one or more electrical emitters to emit a pulse of electrical energy into the AV node or the His bundle sufficient to disable one or more nerve bundles responsible for abnormal heart rhythms when the intracardiac blood pump assembly is inserted into the right ventricle of the patient's heart.

[0006] In another aspect, the present technology includes systems and methods for detecting mural thrombus in a patient's heart using electrical sensors. For example, an intracardiac blood pump assembly may be equipped with two or more electrical sensors capable of emitting and sensing electrical signals, and thus measuring the impedance across a portion of cardiac tissue. The measured impedance may be used to determine whether the tissue in question is normal or abnormal (e.g., thrombus), so that any mural thrombus may be treated prior to operating the intracardiac blood pump. This determination may be based, for example, on a comparison of the measured impedance value to a predetermined tissue characteristic impedance value.

[0007] In this regard, the present disclosure describes a system for sensing tissue properties comprising: (i) an intracardiac device configured to be inserted into a patient's heart; (ii) one or more electrical emitters attached to the intracardiac device and configured to emit an input pulse of electrical energy into a first portion of tissue within the patient's heart; (iii) one or more electrical sensors attached to the intracardiac device and configured to sense a corresponding pulse of electrical energy in a second portion of tissue within the patient's heart, the corresponding pulse of electrical energy resulting from conduction of the input pulse through the tissue; and (iv) one or more processors configured to compare a voltage of the input pulse to a voltage of the corresponding pulse, determine an impedance value of the tissue based on the comparison, determine an impedance value of the tissue based on the comparison, and determine a tissue type of the tissue based at least in part on the impedance value. In some aspects, the one or more electrical emitters comprise a first emitter attached to a first location on the intracardiac device and the one or more electrical sensors comprise a first sensor attached to a second location on the intracardiac device. In some aspects, the first sensor is further configured to emit a pulse of electrical energy and the first emitter is further configured to sense the pulse of electrical energy. In some aspects, the one or more processors configured to determine a tissue type of the tissue based at least in part on the impedance value include being configured to compare the impedance value to a reference impedance value. In some aspects, the one or more processors configured to compare the impedance value to the reference impedance value further include being configured to determine whether the impedance value differs from the reference impedance value by a predetermined amount or percentage. In some aspects, the system further comprises a controller configured to cause the one or more electrical emitters to emit an input pulse. In some aspects, the controller is further configured to receive a corresponding pulse from the one or more electrical sensors. In some aspects, the controller comprises one or more processors. In some aspects, the intracardiac device comprises an intracardiac blood pump.

[0008] The present disclosure also describes a method for sensing tissue properties, the method including inserting an intracardiac device having one or more electrical emitters and one or more electrical sensors into a patient's heart, emitting an input pulse of electrical energy to a first portion of tissue within the patient's heart using the one or more electrical emitters, sensing a corresponding pulse of electrical energy at a second portion of tissue within the patient's heart using the one or more electrical sensors, the corresponding pulse of electrical energy resulting from conduction of the input pulse through the tissue, comparing a voltage of the input pulse to a voltage of the corresponding pulse using one or more processors of a processing system, determining an impedance value of the tissue based on the comparison using the one or more processors, and determining a tissue type of the tissue based at least in part on the impedance value using the one or more processors. In some aspects, the one or more electrical emitters comprise a first emitter attached to a first location on the intracardiac device and the one or more electrical sensors comprise a first sensor attached to a second location on the intracardiac device. In some aspects, the first sensor is further configured to emit a pulse of electrical energy and the first emitter is further configured to sense the pulse of electrical energy. In some aspects, determining a tissue type of the tissue based at least in part on the impedance value includes comparing the impedance value to a reference impedance value. In some aspects, comparing the impedance value to the reference impedance value further includes determining whether the impedance value differs from the reference impedance value by a predetermined amount or percentage.In some aspects, the reference impedance value is generated by emitting an input pulse of electrical energy into a first portion of a reference tissue within the patient's heart using one or more electrical emitters, sensing a corresponding pulse of electrical energy in a second portion of the reference tissue within the patient's heart using one or more electrical sensors, where the corresponding pulse of electrical energy results from conduction of the input pulse through the reference tissue, comparing a voltage of the input pulse to a voltage of the corresponding pulse using one or more processors, and determining a reference impedance value of the tissue based on the comparison using the one or more processors. In some aspects, the intracardiac device comprises an intracardiac blood pump.

[0009] In another aspect, the technology includes systems and methods for detecting tissue changes and responses in cardiac tissue during treatment using one or more temperature sensors. For example, to monitor whether an intracardiac device is causing undesirable effects on the cardiac tissue it is in contact with (e.g., at the distal tip of the intracardiac device), the intracardiac device may be equipped with one or more temperature sensors to monitor temperature changes that may be indicative of such effects.

[0010] In this regard, the present disclosure describes a system for sensing tissue properties comprising: (i) an intracardiac device configured to be inserted into a patient's heart; (ii) one or more first temperature sensors attached to the intracardiac device and configured to measure a first temperature of a first portion of tissue within the patient's heart; and (iii) one or more processors configured to compare the first temperature to a reference temperature value and determine, based on the comparison, whether the first portion of tissue exhibits an adverse reaction to the intracardiac device. In some aspects, the system further comprises one or more second temperature sensors configured to measure a second temperature of a second portion of tissue within the patient's heart. In some aspects, the one or more processors configured to compare the first temperature to the reference temperature value include configured to compare the first temperature to the second temperature. In some aspects, the system further comprises a controller configured to receive the first temperature from the one or more first temperature sensors. In some aspects, the controller comprises one or more processors. In some aspects, the intracardiac device comprises an intracardiac blood pump.

[0011] The present disclosure also describes a method for sensing tissue properties, the method including inserting an intracardiac device into a patient's heart, the intracardiac device having one or more first temperature sensors attached thereto, sensing a first temperature of a first portion of tissue within the patient's heart using the one or more first temperature sensors, comparing the first temperature to a reference temperature value using one or more processors of a processing system, and determining, using the one or more processors, whether the first portion of tissue exhibits an adverse reaction to the intracardiac device based on the comparison. In some aspects, the method further includes measuring a second temperature of a second portion of tissue within the patient's heart using one or more second temperature sensors. In some aspects, comparing the first temperature to the reference temperature value includes comparing the first temperature to a second temperature. In some aspects, the intracardiac device comprises an intracardiac blood pump.

[0012] In another aspect, the present technology includes systems and methods for detecting mural thrombus within a patient's heart using intracardiac echocardiography. For example, an intracardiac blood pump assembly may be equipped with a linear or circular phased array near the distal tip to provide high resolution intracardiac echocardiography to detect mural thrombus, which can then be treated prior to operating the intracardiac blood pump. Similarly, the present technology includes systems and methods for determining and maintaining the position of an intracardiac blood pump within a patient's heart using a linear or circular phased array attached to the intracardiac blood pump.

[0013] In this regard, the present disclosure describes an improved intracardiac blood pump assembly comprising an intracardiac blood pump configured to be inserted into a patient's heart and an ultrasonic phased array attached to the intracardiac blood pump and configured to provide intracardiac echocardiography. In some aspects, the ultrasonic phased array is an ultrasonic linear phased array. In some aspects, the ultrasonic phased array is an ultrasonic circular phased array. In some aspects, the ultrasonic circular phased array is configured to provide a two-dimensional image. In some aspects, the ultrasonic circular phased array is configured to provide a three-dimensional image. In some aspects, the intracardiac blood pump comprises an atraumatic extension at a distal end of the intracardiac blood pump, and the ultrasonic phased array is attached to the atraumatic extension. In some aspects, the improved intracardiac blood pump assembly further comprises one or more processors configured to determine the presence of a mural thrombus based on an output of the ultrasonic phased array. In some aspects, the one or more processors configured to determine the presence of a mural thrombus based on an output of the ultrasonic phased array include configured to compare an output of the ultrasonic phased array to one or more reference images. In some aspects, the one or more processors configured to determine a presence of mural thrombus based on the output of the ultrasonic phased array include configured to provide the output of the ultrasonic phased array to a neural network trained to identify mural thrombus in medical images. In some aspects, the improved intracardiac blood pump assembly further comprises one or more processors configured to determine a position of the intracardiac blood pump within the patient's heart when the intracardiac blood pump is inserted within the patient's heart. In some aspects, the one or more processors configured to determine a position of the intracardiac blood pump within the patient's heart include configured to compare the output of the ultrasonic phased array to one or more reference images.In some aspects, the one or more processors configured to determine a location of an intracardiac blood pump within the patient's heart include configured to provide an output of the ultrasonic phased array to a neural network trained to identify anatomical features within medical images.

[0014] In another aspect, the present technology includes an improved distal tip for use with an intracardiac device. In that regard, the improved distal tip of the present technology may have a symmetric or asymmetric closed loop shape and may further be configured with sections of different stiffness that contribute to biasing the tip to secure itself (and thus the intracardiac device) in a desired location and / or orientation within the patient's heart. This closed loop of the improved distal tip may also reduce the likelihood that the tip will damage or become entangled with cardiac structures. In some aspects of the present technology, the improved distal tip may also include or function as an electrical sensor or emitter (e.g., for use in measuring impedance, detecting arrhythmia, pacing, or performing cardiac ablation, as described above and further below), and / or an antenna for transmitting or receiving signals. In that regard, in some aspects, the looped tip may be constructed of a conductive material or may include one or more conductive members such that the looped tip itself may function as a sensor, emitter, and / or antenna.

[0015] In this regard, the present disclosure describes an intracardiac blood pump assembly comprising: an elongate catheter; an impeller housing coupled to a distal end of the elongate catheter, the impeller housing enclosing an impeller configured to draw blood into a cannula coupled to the distal end of the impeller housing; a distal cage coupled to a distal end of the cannula, the distal cage configured to allow blood to be drawn into or expelled from the cannula; and an atraumatic extension coupled to the distal cage, the atraumatic extension comprising a closed loop. In some aspects, the closed loop of the atraumatic extension has a symmetric shape. In some aspects, the closed loop of the atraumatic extension has an asymmetric shape. In some aspects, the closed loop of the atraumatic extension comprises a parametric curve. In some aspects, the closed loop of the atraumatic extension comprises an Euler curve. In some aspects, the atraumatic extension comprises a proximal section and a distal section, the proximal section being stiffer than the distal section. In some aspects, the atraumatic extension comprises one or more wires or conductive members. In some aspects, the atraumatic extension is further configured to function as an antenna. In some aspects, the atraumatic extension is further configured to function as an electrical sensor. In some aspects, the atraumatic extension is further configured to function as an electrical emitter.

[0016] In another aspect, the technology includes systems and methods for maintaining an intracardiac device at a desired position within a patient's heart using magnets. For example, a permanent magnet, such as a rare earth magnet, may be attached to a portion of the intracardiac device intended to be fixed relative to a portion of the heart (e.g., relative to a ventricular wall), and a second magnet of sufficient strength may be placed near that portion of the heart (e.g., external to the patient, within the patient's chest but outside the heart, implanted within the heart, etc.) to attract and / or hold the intracardiac device at its intended fixed location within the heart.

[0017] In this regard, the present disclosure describes a system for maintaining a position of an intracardiac device, the system comprising an intracardiac device configured to be inserted into a patient's heart, a ferromagnetic element attached to the intracardiac device, and a first magnet positioned outside a cavity of the patient's heart and configured to attract the ferromagnetic element to urge the intracardiac device to a given location within the cavity while the intracardiac device is inserted into the cavity. In some aspects, the ferromagnetic element is not a magnet. In some aspects, the ferromagnetic element is a magnet. In some aspects, the ferromagnetic element is a rare earth magnet. In some aspects, the first magnet is a permanent magnet. In some aspects, the first magnet is a rare earth magnet. In some aspects, the first magnet is an electromagnet. In some aspects, the first magnet is configured to be positioned outside the patient. In some aspects, the first magnet is configured to be positioned within a portion of the tissue of the patient's heart. In some aspects, the first magnet is configured to be positioned within the pericardium of the patient's heart. In some embodiments, the first magnet is configured to be positioned within the epicardium of the patient's heart. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary intracardiac blood pump assembly configured for left heart support, according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 illustrates an exemplary intracardiac blood pump assembly configured for right heart support, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary intracardiac blood assembly according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1 illustrates an intracardiac blood pump assembly inserted into the right ventricle according to an aspect of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] 1 illustrates an intracardiac blood pump assembly inserted into a left ventricle containing a mural thrombus, according to an aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 6A] 6 depicts a cross-sectional view of an exemplary configuration of an atraumatic extension at the distal tip of the intracardiac blood pump assembly of FIG. 5 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6B] 6B illustrates exemplary signals transmitted and received by electrical emitters and sensors disposed on the distal tip of FIG. 6A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7A] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a distal end of an intracardiac blood pump assembly illustrating various exemplary sensor arrangements according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 7B] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a distal end of an intracardiac blood pump assembly illustrating various exemplary sensor arrangements according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 7C] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a distal end of an intracardiac blood pump assembly illustrating various exemplary sensor arrangements according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 7D] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a distal end of an intracardiac blood pump assembly illustrating various exemplary sensor arrangements according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 7E] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a distal end of an intracardiac blood pump assembly illustrating various exemplary sensor arrangements according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 8A] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an intracardiac blood pump assembly illustrating an example of how wires from a sensor may exit the proximal end of a cannula, according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 8B] 8B is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the intracardiac blood pump assembly of FIG. 8A showing an example of how a wire from a sensor may enter a distal end of a catheter, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9A] 1 depicts an intracardiac blood pump assembly with an ultrasonic linear phased array mounted near its distal end, according to an aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 9B] 1 depicts an intracardiac blood pump assembly with an ultrasonic circular phased array mounted near its distal end, according to an aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 9C] 1 depicts an intracardiac blood pump assembly with an ultrasonic circular phased array inserted into the left ventricle, the phased array providing ultrasonic scanning of the aortic valve, according to an aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 9D]1 depicts an intracardiac blood pump assembly with an ultrasonic circular phased array inserted into the left ventricle, the phased array providing an ultrasonic scan of the left ventricle, according to an aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 illustrates an intracardiac blood pump assembly having a looped atraumatic extension inserted into the left ventricle, according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] 1 depicts an intracardiac blood pump assembly with an atraumatic extension to which a magnet is attached, according to an aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for determining tissue type, according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] 1 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for determining the presence of an adverse reaction to an intracardiac device, according to aspects of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] The embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings in which like reference numbers identify similar or identical elements. It should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the present disclosure, which may be embodied in various forms. Well-known functions or structures are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure in unnecessary detail. Therefore, the details of the specific structures and functions disclosed herein should not be interpreted as limitations, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure in substantially any appropriately detailed structure.

[0020] In order to provide a general understanding of the systems, methods, and devices described herein, several illustrative examples are described. Although various examples may describe intracardiac blood pump assemblies, it will be understood that the improvements of the present technology may also be adapted and applied to other types of medical devices, such as electrophysiology study and catheter ablation devices, angioplasty and stenting devices, angiography catheters, peripherally inserted central catheters, central venous catheters, midline catheters, peripheral catheters, inferior vena cava filters, abdominal aortic aneurysm treatment devices, thrombectomy devices, TAVR delivery systems, cardiac therapy and cardiac assist devices including balloon pumps, cardiac assist devices implanted using surgical incisions, and any other venous or arterial based introducer catheters and devices.

[0021] 1 illustrates an exemplary intracardiac blood pump assembly 100 adapted for left heart support. In this regard, the intracardiac blood pump assembly 100 includes an elongate catheter 102, a motor 104, a cannula 110, a blood inflow cage 114 disposed at or near a distal end 112 of the cannula 110, a blood outflow cage 106 disposed at or near a proximal end 108 of the cannula 110, and an optional atraumatic extension 116 disposed at a distal end of the blood inflow cage 114.

[0022] The motor 104 is configured to rotatably drive an impeller (not shown) to generate sufficient suction to draw blood into the cannula 110 through the blood inflow cage 114 and expel blood from the cannula 110 through the blood outflow cage 106. In that regard, the impeller may be positioned distal to the blood outflow cage 106, for example, within the proximal end 108 of the cannula 110 or within a housing coupled to the proximal end 108 of the cannula 110. In some aspects of the present technology, rather than the impeller being driven by an internal motor 104, the impeller may instead be coupled to an elongated drive shaft (or drive cable) that is driven by a motor located external to the patient.

[0023] The catheter 102 may house electrical wires coupling the motor 104 to one or more electrical controllers or other sensors. Alternatively, if the impeller is driven by an external motor, an elongated drive shaft may pass through the catheter 102. The catheter 102 may also serve as a conduit for wires connecting the electrical sensors, described further below, to one or more controllers, power sources, etc. located outside the patient's body. The catheter 102 may also include purge fluid conduits, lumens configured to receive a guidewire, etc.

[0024] The blood inflow cage 114 includes one or more apertures or openings configured to allow blood to be drawn into the cannula 110 when the motor 104 is operating. Similarly, the blood outflow cage 106 includes one or more apertures or openings configured to allow blood to flow from the cannula 110 out of the intracardiac blood pump assembly 100. The blood inflow cage 114 and the blood outflow cage 106 may be constructed from any suitable biocompatible material. For example, the blood inflow cage 114 and / or the blood outflow cage 106 may be formed from a biocompatible metal, such as stainless steel, titanium, or a biocompatible polymer, such as polyurethane. Additionally, the surfaces of the blood inflow cage 114 and / or the blood outflow cage 106 may be treated in various ways, including, but not limited to, etching, texturing, or coating or plating with another material. For example, the surfaces of the blood inflow cage 114 and / or the blood outflow cage 106 may be laser textured.

[0025] Cannula 110 may include a flexible hose portion. For example, cannula 110 may be constructed, at least in part, from a polyurethane material. In addition, cannula 110 may include a shape memory material. For example, cannula 110 may include a combination of a polyurethane material and one or more strands or coils of a shape memory material, such as Nitinol. Cannula 110 may be formed to include one or more bends or curves in its relaxed state, or may be configured to be straight in its relaxed state. In that regard, in the exemplary configuration shown in FIG. 1, cannula 110 has a single preformed anatomical bend 118 based on the portion of the left heart in which it is intended to operate. Despite this bend 118, cannula 110 may also nevertheless be flexible and thus be capable of straightening (e.g., during insertion over a guidewire) or bending further (e.g., in patients whose anatomy has narrower dimensions). Further in that regard, cannula 110 may include a shape memory material configured to allow cannula 110 to be a different shape (e.g., straight or nearly straight) at room temperature and to form bend 118 when the shape memory material is exposed to the heat of the patient's body.

[0026] The atraumatic extension 116 helps stabilize and position the intracardiac blood pump assembly 100 in the correct position within the patient's heart. The atraumatic extension 116 may be solid or tubular. If tubular, the atraumatic extension 116 may be configured to allow a guidewire to pass therethrough to further assist in positioning the intracardiac blood pump assembly 100. The atraumatic extension 116 may be of any suitable size. For example, the atraumatic extension 116 may have an outer diameter in the range of 4-8 Fr. The atraumatic extension 116 may be constructed, at least in part, from a flexible material and may be of any suitable shape or configuration, such as a straight configuration, a partially curved configuration, a pigtail-shaped configuration as shown in the example of FIG. 1, or a loop configuration as further described below with respect to FIG. 10. The atraumatic extension 116 may also have sections with different stiffness. For example, the atraumatic extension 116 may include a proximal section that is sufficiently stiff to prevent buckling and thereby keep the blood inflow cage 114 in a desired location, and a distal section that is softer and has a lower stiffness, thereby providing an atraumatic tip for contacting the wall of the patient's heart and allowing for guidewire loading. In such cases, the proximal and distal sections of the atraumatic extension 116 may be constructed from different materials that are processed to provide different stiffnesses, or may be constructed from the same material.

[0027] Notwithstanding the above, as discussed above, the atraumatic extension 116 is of any structure. In that regard, the present technology may also be used with intracardiac blood pump assemblies and other intracardiac devices that include extensions of different types, shapes, materials, and qualities. Similarly, the present technology may be used with intracardiac blood pump assemblies and other intracardiac devices that do not have distal extensions of any kind.

[0028] The intracardiac blood pump assembly 100 may be inserted percutaneously. For example, when used for left heart support, the intracardiac blood pump assembly 100 may be inserted via a catheter procedure through the femoral or axillary artery, into the aorta, across the aortic valve, and into the left ventricle. When positioned in this manner, the intracardiac blood pump assembly 100 delivers blood from a blood inflow cage 114 located inside the left ventricle through the cannula 110 to a blood outflow cage 106 located inside the ascending aorta. As will be further described below, in some aspects of the present technology, the intracardiac blood pump assembly 100 may be configured such that the bend 118 rests against a predetermined portion of the patient's heart when the intracardiac blood pump assembly 100 is in a desired location. Similarly, the atraumatic extension 116 may be configured to rest against a different predetermined portion of the patient's heart when the intracardiac blood pump assembly 100 is in a desired location.

[0029] 2 illustrates an exemplary intracardiac blood pump assembly 200 adapted for right heart support. In this regard, the intracardiac blood pump assembly 200 includes an elongate catheter 202, a motor 204, a cannula 210, a blood inflow cage 214 disposed at or near a proximal end 208 of the cannula 210, a blood outflow cage 206 disposed at or near a distal end 212 of the cannula 210, and an optional atraumatic extension 216 disposed at a distal end of the blood outflow cage 206.

[0030] 1, the motor 204 is configured to rotatably drive an impeller (not shown) to generate sufficient suction to draw blood into the cannula 210 through the blood inflow cage 214 and expel blood from the cannula 210 through the blood outflow cage 206. In that regard, the impeller may be located distal to the blood inflow cage 214, for example, within the proximal end 208 of the cannula 210 or within a housing coupled to the proximal end 208 of the cannula 210. Again, in some aspects of the present technology, rather than the impeller being driven by an internal motor 204, the impeller may instead be coupled to an elongated drive shaft (or drive cable) that is driven by a motor located external to the patient.

[0031] Cannula 210 of FIG. 2 serves the same purpose and may have the same properties and characteristics as described above with respect to cannula 110 of FIG. 1. However, in the exemplary configuration shown in FIG. 2, cannula 210 has two preformed anatomical bends 218 and 220 based on the portion of the right heart in which it is intended to operate. Here again, despite the presence of bends 218 and 220, cannula 210 may nevertheless also be flexible and thus may be capable of straightening (e.g., during insertion over a guidewire) or bending further (e.g., in patients whose anatomy has narrower dimensions). Further in that regard, cannula 210 may include a shape memory material that allows cannula 210 to be a different shape (e.g., straight or nearly straight) at room temperature and configured to form bends 218 and / or 220 when the shape memory material is exposed to the heat of the patient's body.

[0032] The catheter 202 and atraumatic extension 216 of Figure 2 serve the same purpose and can have the same properties and characteristics as described above with respect to the catheter 102 and atraumatic extension 116 of Figure 1. Similarly, the blood inflow cage 214 and blood outflow cage 206 of Figure 2 are similar to the blood inflow cage 114 and blood outflow cage 106 of Figure 1, except that they are located on the opposite side of the cannula from those of Figure 1, and therefore can have the same properties and characteristics as described above.

[0033] Similar to the exemplary assembly of Fig. 1, the intracardiac blood pump assembly 200 of Fig. 2 may also be inserted percutaneously. For example, when used for right heart support, the intracardiac blood pump assembly 200 may be inserted via a catheter procedure through the femoral vein, into the inferior vena cava, through the right atrium, across the tricuspid valve, into the right ventricle, through the pulmonary valve, and into the pulmonary artery. Thus positioned, the intracardiac blood pump assembly 200 delivers blood from a blood inflow cage 214 located inside the inferior vena cava, through the cannula 210, to a blood outflow cage 206 located inside the pulmonary artery.

[0034] FIG. 3 is an illustration of an exemplary system according to an aspect of the disclosure. In that regard, in the example of FIG. 3, the system 300 comprises an intracardiac blood pump assembly 318 and a controller 302. The intracardiac blood pump assembly 318 may take any form, including those shown in the exemplary blood pump assemblies 100 and 200 of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, respectively. In addition, the intracardiac blood pump assembly 318 of FIG. 3 may optionally include one or more sensors 320 (e.g., electrical sensors, temperature sensors, ultrasonic linear or circular phased arrays, etc.), one or more emitters 322 (e.g., electrical emitters, RF antennas, ultrasonic linear or circular phased arrays, etc.), and a motor 324 configured to rotatably drive an impeller (e.g., when the motor is configured to be inserted into a patient). Notwithstanding the above, the present technology may also be employed in systems comprising intracardiac devices other than blood pump assemblies.

[0035] In the example of FIG. 3, the controller 302 includes one or more processors 304 coupled to a memory 306 that stores instructions 308 and data 310, and an interface 312 to an intracardiac blood pump assembly 318. The controller 302 may further include an optional motor 314 (e.g., in cases where the impeller is driven by a motor located external to the patient via an elongated drive shaft) and / or a power source 316 (e.g., to provide power to an internal motor 324, sensors 320, emitters 322, etc.). The interface 312 to the intracardiac blood pump assembly 318 may be any suitable interface. In that regard, the interface 312 may be configured to enable unidirectional or bidirectional communication between the controller 302 and the intracardiac blood pump assembly 318. The interface 312 may further be configured to provide power to one or more sensors 320 or emitters 322 (e.g., those described in the various figures below), and / or the internal motor 324.

[0036] The controller 302 may take any form. In that regard, the controller 302 may comprise a single modular unit or its components may be distributed among two or more physical units. The controller 302 may further include any other components typically used in connection with a computing device, such as a user interface. In that regard, the controller 302 may have a user interface including one or more user inputs (e.g., buttons, touch screen, keypad, keyboard, mouse, microphone, etc.), one or more electronic displays (e.g., a monitor having a screen or any other electrical device operable to display information, one or more lights, etc.), and one or more speakers, chimes, or other audio output devices, and / or one or more other output devices, such as vibrations, pulses, or tactile elements.

[0037] The one or more processors 304 and memory 306 described herein may be implemented on any type of computing device(s), including customized hardware or any type of general-purpose computing device. The memory 306 may be of any non-transitory type capable of storing information accessible by the processor 304, such as a hard drive, memory card, optical disk, solid state, tape memory, or similar structure.

[0038] The instructions 308 can include programming configured to receive readings from one or more sensors 320 and control signals generated by one or more emitters 322.

[0039] Data 310 may include data for calibrating and / or interpreting signals of one or more sensors 320 and emitters 322, as well as data regarding impedance characteristics of representative cardiac tissue (e.g., as described below with respect to Figures 5 and 6), temperature characteristics of representative cardiac tissue (e.g., as described below with respect to Figure 5), and other related criteria. Controller 302 may also be configured to store past readings from sensor 320 in memory 306, for example, for use in making decisions described below.

[0040] FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a right ventricle into which an exemplary intracardiac blood pump assembly 402 has been inserted, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, FIG. 4 illustrates the intracardiac blood pump assembly 402 inserted through the inferior vena cava 405, across near the septal leaflet 408 of the tricuspid valve, into the right ventricle 410, and into the pulmonary artery 412. In the example of FIG. 4, the intracardiac blood pump assembly 402 includes one or more electrical sensors 406a and one or more electrical emitters 406b located at or near a bend in the cannula 404. In the orientation shown in FIG. 4, the one or more electrical sensors 406a are positioned above Koch's triangle such that they can sense signals from the AV node 414 and / or His bundle 416 and identify abnormalities (e.g., arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, high or low ST segment readings indicative of potential subendocardial or transmural ischemia, etc.). Similarly, using one or more electrical emitters 406b positioned on the AV node 414 and / or His bundle 416, cardiac ablation may be performed to disable nerve bundles responsible for arrhythmias and / or pacing may be performed to correct heart rhythm abnormalities.

[0041] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a left ventricle 502 containing therein a mural thrombus 516. Figure 5 also depicts an exemplary intracardiac blood pump assembly 506 inserted into the left ventricle 502 through the aortic valve 504 such that its atraumatic extension 514 contacts the mural thrombus 516.

[0042] In one aspect of the present technology, an intracardiac blood pump assembly 506 may be configured with one or more electrical emitters 508 configured to emit pulses of electrical energy and one or more electrical sensors 510 configured to measure electrical potential. In such a case, a distal tip of the intracardiac blood pump assembly 506 may be placed in contact with a tissue to be tested (e.g., a mural thrombus 516), and a controller (e.g., controller 302) may be configured to cause the one or more electrical emitters 508 to provide a pulse of a predetermined amount of electrical energy into the tissue and measure how much of that electrical energy is sensed by the one or more electrical sensors 510. The controller may be further configured to compare the amount of electrical energy emitted by the one or more electrical emitters 508 with the amount of electrical energy sensed by the one or more electrical sensors 510 to obtain an impedance value of the tissue in question, and may be further configured to make a determination regarding the nature of the tissue (e.g., whether the tissue is normal cardiac tissue or abnormal tissue such as a mural thrombus) based on the comparison. This determination may be based, for example, on a comparison of the measured (or calculated) impedance value with a predetermined tissue characteristic impedance value (e.g., a value based on empirical data regarding average impedance values ​​of normal cardiac tissue, thrombus, etc.).

[0043] In one aspect of the present technology, the intracardiac blood pump assembly 506 may be configured with one or more temperature sensors 512a. In such a case, the distal tip of the intracardiac blood pump assembly 506 may be placed in contact with the tissue to be tested, and a controller (e.g., controller 302) may be configured to compare the temperature of the tissue in question provided by the one or more temperature sensors 512a to a reference value and make a determination regarding the nature of the tissue based on the comparison. For example, an elevated temperature relative to the reference value may indicate that the tissue in question is exhibiting a reaction to being in contact with the intracardiac blood pump assembly 506. In some aspects, the reference value may be, for example, a stored temperature reading previously taken by the one or more temperature sensors 512a when the distal tip was first placed in contact with healthy tissue, a history of some or all of the previous temperature readings taken by the one or more temperature sensors 512a, or some value (e.g., average, minimum, maximum) based on the history of previous temperature readings. Similarly, in some embodiments, the reference value may be based on one or more temperature readings from one or more temperature sensors 512b attached to different portions of the intra-cardiac blood pump assembly 506. In some embodiments, the reference value may be an assumption based on empirical data regarding the average temperature of normal cardiac tissue.

[0044] While the example of Fig. 5 shows an intracardiac blood pump assembly 506 including both an electrical emitter and a sensor, as well as a temperature sensor, it will be understood that an intracardiac blood pump assembly according to the present technology may include only an electrical emitter and a sensor. Similarly, an intracardiac blood pump assembly according to the present technology may include only one or more temperature sensors. Further, in that regard, while the example of Fig. 5 shows temperature sensors mounted in two different locations, an intracardiac blood pump assembly according to the present technology may include a temperature sensor mounted in only a single location.

[0045] Additionally, it should be noted that the exact locations of the one or more electrical emitters 508, the one or more electrical sensors 510, and the one or more temperature sensors 512a and 512b are merely exemplary, as any or all of these may be mounted in different locations and / or structures on the intra-cardiac blood pump assembly 506.

[0046] FIG 6A depicts a cross-sectional view of an example configuration of an atraumatic extension 602 at the distal tip of the intracardiac blood pump assembly of FIG 5 in accordance with aspects of the present technology. In the example of FIG 6A, the atraumatic extension includes one or more electrical emitters 604 and one or more electrical sensors 606, which are spaced apart a predetermined distance. In some aspects of the present technology, the structures identified as 604 and 606 may be capable of both emitting and sensing electrical energy such that measurements can be made in either direction.

[0047] FIG. 6B is a schematic diagram illustrating example signals transmitted and received by one or more electrical emitters and one or more electrical sensors positioned on the distal tip of FIG. 6A. In that regard, the top graph shows an example signal 608 being emitted by one or more electrical emitters 604 into abnormal tissue (e.g., a mural thrombus) and an example signal 610 being sensed by one or more electrical sensors 606. This results in a drop in electrical potential indicated by arrow 612, which may be used to determine an impedance value for the tissue in question. In contrast, the bottom graph shows an example signal 614 being emitted by one or more electrical emitters 604 into normal cardiac tissue and an example signal 616 being sensed by one or more electrical sensors 606. As can be seen, this results in a drop in electrical potential indicated by arrow 618 that is different from the drop indicated by arrow 612. In some aspects of the present technology, the voltage drop in normal tissue (e.g., as indicated by arrow 618) may be used to determine a reference impedance value for normal cardiac tissue. This baseline value may be stored and used by a controller (e.g., controller 302) in subsequent readings to determine whether other examined tissues are normal or abnormal. For example, in some aspects, tissue may be determined to be abnormal if a subsequent reading results in an impedance drop above the stored baseline value by some predetermined percentage (e.g., 3%, 5%, 10%, 30%, 50%, etc.) or amount (e.g., 50 milliohms, 100 milliohms, 1 ohm, etc.).

[0048] While the examples of Figures 5, 6A, and 6B assume that an impedance value is calculated and that a determination of whether the tissue in question is normal or abnormal is based on the impedance value, in some aspects of the present technology, the determination of whether the tissue in question is normal or abnormal may instead be based directly on the measured voltage drop. Similarly, while the example of Figure 6B assumes that abnormal tissue has a larger voltage drop (as indicated by arrow 612) and thus a higher impedance value (as indicated by arrow 618) than the impedance value of normal tissue, it will be understood that in some cases, the abnormal tissue of interest may be characterized by a higher electrical conductivity and thus a lower impedance value than the impedance value of normal tissue.

[0049] 7A-7E are cross-sectional views of the distal end of an intracardiac blood pump assembly illustrating various exemplary sensor arrangements according to embodiments of the present disclosure. These exemplary sensor configurations may be used with any of the intracardiac blood pump assemblies described herein, including those of FIGS. 1-6 and 9.

[0050] In this regard, Figure 7A illustrates an intracardiac blood pump assembly having a pigtail-shaped atraumatic extension 704 with three sensors 706. In each of the examples of Figures 7A-7E, the illustrated sensors 706 may be electrical sensors and / or electrical emitters, antennas, temperature sensors, or linear or circular phased arrays, as described above and further below. As shown in Figure 7A, one or more wires 708 configured to carry signals to and / or from the three sensors 706 extend down the inside of the atraumatic extension, into the distal end of the cage 702 (e.g., the blood inflow or blood outflow cage), and out one of the apertures of the cage 702.

[0051] 7B shows an intracardiac blood pump assembly having a pigtail-shaped atraumatic extension 704 with a sensor 706. Again, one or more wires 708 configured to carry signals to and / or from the sensor 706 extend down the inside of the atraumatic extension.

[0052] 7C shows an intracardiac blood pump assembly having a pigtail shaped atraumatic extension 704 with two sensors 706. As described in the previous example, wires may be present to carry signals to and / or from the sensors 706, but are not shown in this particular cross-sectional view.

[0053] FIG. 7D shows an intracardiac blood pump assembly having an arrow extension 704. The arrow extension 704 is configured to secure the distal tip of the intracardiac blood pump assembly to cardiac tissue to prevent pump migration and may be replaced with any of the atraumatic extensions described herein. The intracardiac blood pump assembly of FIG. 7D has two sensors 706, one on the shaft of the extension and one on the distal tip. Such an arrangement may be useful, for example, when it is desirable to obtain comparative measurements both inside and outside a selected portion of tissue. As described in the previous example, wires may be present to carry signals to and / or from the electrical sensor 706, but are not shown in this particular cross-sectional view.

[0054] 7E shows an intracardiac blood pump assembly having a straight atraumatic extension 704 with a sensor 706 comprising a looped wire. Again, signals to and from the sensor 706 may be carried to and from a controller (e.g., controller 302) by one or more wires that run down the inside of the atraumatic extension, as described in the previous examples, but which are not shown in this particular cross-sectional view.

[0055] 8A is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an intracardiac blood pump assembly illustrating one example of how wires from one or more sensors may exit a proximal end of a cannula, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this regard, one or more wires 810 are spirally wound around the cannula 802. The one or more wires 810 may be spiraled along an inner or outer surface of the cannula 802 or may be embedded within the wall of the cannula 802 (e.g., molded into the wall of the cannula 802). The one or more wires 810 exit the cannula 802 where the proximal end of the cannula 802 merges with a cage 804 (e.g., a blood inflow cage or a blood outflow cage). In that regard, the one or more wires 810 may exit the cannula 802 by protruding from where the cannula 802 overlaps with the cage 804 or by passing through an aperture in the cannula 802. One or more wires 810 pass over the motor 806 and continue proximally.

[0056] FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the blood pump assembly of FIG. 8A, showing an example of how one or more wires 810 from the sensor may enter the distal end of the catheter 808. Note that common reference numbers in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B all refer to the same structure. As can be seen, in the example of FIG. 8B, the one or more wires 810 enter the catheter 808 where they overlap the proximal end of the housing of the motor 806. In some aspects of the present technology, the one or more wires 810 may extend into the lumen of the elongated catheter 808 outside the patient, where they interface with a controller (e.g., controller 302 and device interface 312).

[0057] FIG. 9A depicts an intracardiac blood pump assembly 902 with an ultrasonic linear phased array 904 mounted near its distal end, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the example of FIG. 9A, the ultrasonic linear phased array 904 is mounted to a portion of the atraumatic extension 906. However, the ultrasonic linear phased array 904 may be mounted to any suitable portion of the intracardiac blood pump assembly 902. The ultrasonic linear phased array 904 generates a linear ultrasonic beam, as indicated by the dashed line emanating from element 904. Thus, an intracardiac blood pump assembly as shown in FIG. 9A needs to be aimed at the portion of the heart where an ultrasound image is desired.

[0058] FIG. 9B illustrates an intracardiac blood pump assembly 902 with an ultrasonic circular phased array 904 according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Again, the ultrasonic circular phased array 904 is mounted near the distal end of the intracardiac blood pump assembly 902, but may be mounted at any suitable portion of the intracardiac blood pump assembly 902. The ultrasonic circular phased array 904 generates a conical ultrasonic beam, which may be focused to provide a conical sweep in different directions relative to its center, as indicated by the dashed lines going both proximally and distally from the element 904. This may generate a two-dimensional cross-sectional image of what is being swept, or a three-dimensional (cross-sectional and axial) image of what is being swept. Thus, an intracardiac blood pump assembly as illustrated in FIG. 9B may provide views both forward and backward of the mounting point of the ultrasonic circular phased array 904. In that regard, FIG. 9C illustrates how an intracardiac blood pump assembly 902 with an ultrasonic circular phased array 904 may be used in a left ventricle 906 to provide a rearward looking ultrasonic scan of the aortic valve 908. Similarly, FIG. 9D illustrates how an intracardiac blood pump assembly 902 having an ultrasonic circular phased array 904 can be used within the left ventricle 906 to provide a forward-looking ultrasound scan of the left ventricle 906.

[0059] In each of the examples of Figures 9A-9D, the present technique may be used to provide intracardiac echocardiography into the patient's heart after the intracardiac blood pump assembly 902 has been inserted therein. This provides improved imaging over conventional imaging methods used during insertion of the intracardiac blood pump assembly 902, such as fluoroscopy, which is two-dimensional and may be inadequate to detect three-dimensional structures, or trans-aortic echocardiography, which may be difficult to perform due to insufficient acoustic window and / or interference from the intracardiac blood pump assembly 902 (after it has been inserted). Similarly, a dedicated intracardiac echo catheter may also not be suitable for use in procedures in which the intracardiac blood pump assembly 902 is inserted into the patient's heart, as it requires its own vascular access. In contrast, mounting a phased array on the intracardiac blood pump assembly 902 allows high resolution imaging to be performed of the portion of the heart into which the intracardiac blood pump assembly 902 has been inserted. This may be advantageous, for example, to ensure that there is no mural thrombus that may be dislodged as a result of operating the pump to provide cardiac assistance. In some aspects of the present technology, a determination of the presence of a mural thrombus may be made by one or more processors of a processing system (e.g., controller 302) based on the output of the ultrasonic phased array. In some aspects of the present technology, this determination may also be based on past images of the patient's heart, images taken of other patients, neural networks trained to identify or detect the presence of a mural thrombus in medical images, etc.

[0060] The ability to take high resolution images of the portion of the heart into which the intracardiac blood pump assembly 902 has been inserted may also be advantageous to ensure that the intracardiac blood pump assembly 902 has been inserted in the desired location. Similarly, the ability to continue to acquire high resolution images from within the heart may allow the position of the intracardiac blood pump assembly 902 to be periodically rechecked to ensure that it does not shift within the heart over time. In some aspects of the present technology, a determination of the position of the intracardiac device within the patient's heart may be made by one or more processors of the processing system (e.g., controller 302) based on the output of the ultrasonic phased array. In some aspects of the present technology, this determination may further be based on past images of the patient's heart, images taken from other patients, neural networks trained to identify anatomical features from medical images, etc.

[0061] Fig. 10 illustrates an intracardiac blood pump assembly 1002 having a looped atraumatic extension 1004, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the example of Fig. 10, the intracardiac blood pump assembly 1002 has been inserted through the aortic valve 1006 of a patient and into the left ventricle 1008, and is resting in a position where the looped atraumatic extension 1004 rests against the wall of the left ventricle 1008.

[0062] In some embodiments, the looped atraumatic extension 1004 may have a symmetric or asymmetric shape configured to rest the intracardiac blood pump assembly 1002 at a desired location and / or orientation within the heart and bias the intracardiac blood pump assembly 1002 from moving from its desired position. Any suitable curvature may be used for the looped atraumatic extension 1004. For example, in some embodiments, the curvature of the looped atraumatic extension 1004 may be based on representative cardiac anatomical features. In some embodiments, the curvature of the looped atraumatic extension 1004 may be based on one or more mathematically derived curves, such as one or more portions of a parametric curve, an Euler curve, etc. Similarly, in some embodiments, the shape and size of the closed loop structure of the looped atraumatic extension 1004 may be configured to prevent the looped atraumatic extension 1004 from becoming entangled with structures within the heart. For example, the size and shape of the looped atraumatic extension 1004 may be configured to avoid snagging on valves or other delicate structures, such as chordae tendineae 1010 and papillary muscles 1012. In this manner, the looped atraumatic extension 1004 may provide advantages over atraumatic extensions of other shapes (e.g., straight, pigtail, etc.).

[0063] In some aspects, the stiffness of the looped atraumatic extension 1004 may also be configured to contribute to the tendency to hold the intra-cardiac blood pump assembly 1002 in place. For example, the looped atraumatic extension 1004 may have a proximal section that is stiffer than a distal section, allowing the tip to flex where it contacts the wall of the heart to avoid puncturing and / or damaging tissue, while still allowing the remainder of the looped atraumatic extension 1004 to be sufficiently stiff to resist buckling and maintain the position of the intra-cardiac blood pump assembly 1002.

[0064] The closed loop of the looped atraumatic extension 1004 may be formed from or may include one or more wires or conductive members. In this regard, in some embodiments, the looped atraumatic extension 1004 may be configured to function as a sensor, an emitter, and / or an antenna. For example, the looped atraumatic extension 1004 may be configured to emit electrical energy (e.g., to test tissue conditions, pace the heart, or perform cardiac ablation), to sense electrical energy (e.g., to sense signals propagating through the heart or to measure electrical pulses emitted by an emitter), and / or to act as an antenna to transmit or receive signals (e.g., from a controller, such as controller 302).

[0065] FIG. 11 illustrates an intracardiac blood pump assembly 1102 having an atraumatic extension 1104 with a ferromagnetic element 1106 attached thereto, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the example of FIG. 11, the intracardiac blood pump assembly 1102 has been inserted into a left ventricle 1110 through a patient's aortic valve 1108 and is resting in a position where the atraumatic extension 1104 is resting against the wall of the left ventricle 1110. To maintain the intracardiac blood pump assembly 1102 in this position, a magnet 1112 configured to attract the ferromagnetic element 1106 is positioned outside the left ventricle 1100. The magnet 1112 may be positioned outside the patient (e.g., on the patient's chest), within the patient's thoracic cavity but outside the heart, or within the tissue of the heart (e.g., pericardium, epicardium, etc.). In some aspects of the present technology, the magnet 1112 and the ferromagnetic element 1106 may both be magnets and may be of any type suitable for holding the intra-cardiac blood pump assembly 1102 in position, including permanent rare earth magnets. In some aspects of the present technology, the ferromagnetic element 1106 may be a permanent magnet and the magnet 1112 may be an electromagnet. Furthermore, in some aspects of the present technology, the ferromagnetic element 1106 may not itself be magnetic, but instead may include a material (e.g., iron) that is attracted to the magnet 1112.

[0066] 12 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method 1200 for determining the type of tissue in contact with an intracardiac device, according to aspects of the present disclosure. In this regard, at step 1202, an intracardiac device is inserted into the patient's heart. This may include any suitable intracardiac device, such as those described above with respect to FIGS. 1-11, and may be done in any suitable manner, such as percutaneously via any of the catheterization procedures described above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0067] In step 1204, a pulse of electrical energy is provided to a first portion of tissue within the patient's heart using one or more electrical emitters (e.g., emitters 508, 604) mounted on the intracardiac device. In this example, the one or more electrical emitters generate a pulse of predetermined time and power, as shown by signals 608 and 614 in FIG. 6B. The pulse may be initiated and controlled by a controller of the intracardiac device, such as, for example, controller 302 of FIG.

[0068] In step 1206, a corresponding pulse of electrical energy is sensed at a second portion of tissue using one or more electrical sensors (e.g., sensors 510, 606) mounted on the intracardiac device. The second portion of tissue may be a portion of tissue displaced any suitable distance from the first portion of tissue. The corresponding pulse of electrical energy results from conduction of the input pulse through the tissue. Thus, the voltage of the corresponding pulse (e.g., signals 610, 616) differs from the input pulse by an amount based on the electrical conductivity properties of the tissue, as described above with respect to FIG. 6B.

[0069] In step 1208, the voltage of the input pulse is compared to the voltage of a corresponding pulse received from the electrical sensor. In step 1210, an impedance value is determined based on the comparison of 1208. One or both of steps 1208 and 1210 may be performed, for example, by one or more processors of a controller, for example, processor 304 of controller 302 of FIG.

[0070] At step 1212, a type of tissue (e.g., muscle tissue, mural thrombus, etc.) is determined based on the impedance value, as described above with respect to FIGS. 5, 6A, and 6B. This determination may be made, for example, by one or more processors of a controller (e.g., processor 304 of controller 302 of FIG. 3). In that regard, the determination of tissue type may be based on information in addition to the impedance value determined at step 1210. For example, the impedance value at step 1210 may be compared to a reference impedance value, such as impedance values ​​measured on other tissues in the patient's heart, empirical data regarding the average impedance of healthy cardiac tissue, etc. Similarly, the determination of tissue type may be based in part on whether the determined impedance value differs from the reference impedance value by some predetermined percentage (e.g., 3%, 5%, 10%, 30%, 50%, etc.) or a predetermined amount (e.g., 50 milliohms, 100 milliohms, 1 ohm, etc.).

[0071] 13 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method 1300 for determining the presence of an adverse reaction to an intracardiac device, according to aspects of the present disclosure. In this regard, at step 1202, an intracardiac device is inserted into the patient's heart. Again, this may include any suitable intracardiac device, such as those described above with respect to FIGS. 1-11, and may be done in any suitable manner, such as percutaneously via any of the catheter procedures described above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0072] In step 1304, a temperature measurement of a portion of tissue within the patient's heart is received from a temperature sensor (eg, temperature sensor 512a) attached to the intracardiac device by a controller of the intracardiac device, such as, for example, controller 302 of FIG.

[0073] In step 1306, the temperature measurement is compared to a reference temperature value. As discussed above with respect to FIG. 5, this reference temperature value may be, for example, a stored temperature reading previously taken when the temperature sensor was first placed in contact with healthy tissue, a history of some or all of the previous temperature readings taken by the temperature sensor, or some value (e.g., average, minimum, maximum) based on a history of previous temperature readings. Similarly, in some aspects, the reference value may be based on one or more temperature readings from one or more other temperature sensors attached to different portions of the intra-cardiac blood pump assembly. In some aspects, the reference value may be an assumed value based on empirical data regarding the average temperature of normal cardiac tissue.

[0074] At step 1308, a determination is made as to whether the tissue is exhibiting an adverse reaction to the intracardiac device based on the comparison of step 1306, as described above with respect to Figure 5. For example, an elevated temperature relative to a baseline may indicate that the tissue in question is expanding as a result of contact with the intracardiac blood pump assembly 506. This determination may be made, for example, by one or more processors of the controller (e.g., processor 304 of controller 302 of Figure 3). Again, this determination may be based on information in addition to the comparison of step 1306.

[0075] From the above and with reference to the various figures, those skilled in the art will understand that certain modifications can be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Although several aspects of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to these embodiments, as it is intended that the present disclosure should be as broad as the art will permit, and that the specification should be read in the same manner. Thus, the above description should not be interpreted as limiting, but merely as an illustration of certain aspects of the present technology.

Claims

1. 1. A system for sensing tissue properties, comprising: an intracardiac device configured to be inserted into a patient's heart; one or more electrical emitters attached to the intracardiac device and configured to emit input pulses of electrical energy into a first portion of tissue within the patient's heart; one or more electrical sensors attached to the intracardiac device and configured to sense a corresponding pulse of electrical energy at a second portion of tissue within the patient's heart, the corresponding pulse of electrical energy resulting from conduction of the input pulse through the tissue; One or more processors, comparing the voltage of the input pulse with the voltage of the corresponding pulse; determining an impedance value of the tissue based on the comparison; one or more processors configured to determine a tissue type of the tissue based at least in part on the impedance value; A system comprising:

2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical emitters comprise a first emitter mounted at a first location on the intracardiac device and the one or more electrical sensors comprise a first sensor mounted at a second location on the intracardiac device.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first sensor is further configured to emit a pulse of electrical energy and the first emitter is further configured to sense the pulse of electrical energy.

4. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors configured to determine a tissue type of the tissue based at least in part on the impedance value are configured to compare the impedance value to a reference impedance value.

5. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors configured to compare the impedance value to a reference impedance value are further configured to determine whether the impedance value differs from the reference impedance value by a predetermined amount or percentage.

6. 4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to cause the one or more electrical emitters to emit the input pulses.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive the corresponding pulses from the one or more electrical sensors.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the controller comprises the one or more processors.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the intracardiac device comprises an intracardiac blood pump.

10. 1. A method for sensing tissue properties, comprising: inserting an intracardiac device having one or more electrical emitters and one or more electrical sensors into the patient's heart; emitting an input pulse of electrical energy to a first portion of tissue within the patient's heart using the one or more electrical emitters; sensing a corresponding pulse of electrical energy at a second portion of tissue within the patient's heart using the one or more electrical sensors, the corresponding pulse of electrical energy resulting from conduction of the input pulse through the tissue; comparing, using one or more processors of a processing system, a voltage of the input pulse with a voltage of the corresponding pulse; determining, using the one or more processors, an impedance value of the tissue based on the comparison; and determining, using the one or more processors, a tissue type of the tissue based at least in part on the impedance values; A method comprising:

11. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more electrical emitters comprise a first emitter mounted at a first location on the intracardiac device and the one or more electrical sensors comprise a first sensor mounted at a second location on the intracardiac device.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first sensor is further configured to emit a pulse of electrical energy and the first emitter is further configured to sense the pulse of electrical energy.

13. 13. The method of claim 10, wherein determining a tissue type of the tissue based at least in part on the impedance value comprises comparing the impedance value to a reference impedance value.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein comparing the impedance value to a reference impedance value further comprises determining whether the impedance value differs from the reference impedance value by a predetermined amount or percentage.

15. The reference impedance value is emitting an input pulse of electrical energy using the one or more electrical emitters to a first portion of reference tissue within the patient's heart; sensing a corresponding pulse of electrical energy at a second portion of the reference tissue within the patient's heart using the one or more electrical sensors, the corresponding pulse of electrical energy resulting from conduction of the input pulse through the reference tissue; comparing, using the one or more processors, a voltage of the input pulse with a voltage of the corresponding pulse; and determining, using the one or more processors, the baseline impedance value of the tissue based on the comparison.

16. 13. The method of any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the intracardiac device comprises an intracardiac blood pump.

17. 1. A system for sensing tissue properties, comprising: an intracardiac device configured to be inserted into a patient's heart; one or more first temperature sensors attached to the intracardiac device and configured to measure a first temperature of a first portion of tissue within the patient's heart; One or more processors, comparing the first temperature to a reference temperature value; one or more processors configured to determine whether the first portion of tissue exhibits an adverse reaction to the intracardiac device based on the comparison; A system comprising:

18. 20. The system of claim 17, further comprising one or more second temperature sensors configured to measure a second temperature of a second portion of tissue within the patient's heart.

19. 20. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors configured to compare the first temperature to a reference temperature value further comprises: the one or more processors configured to compare the first temperature to the second temperature.

20. 20. The system of claim 17, further comprising a controller configured to receive the first temperature from the one or more first temperature sensors.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the controller comprises the one or more processors.

22. 20. The system of any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the intracardiac device comprises an intracardiac blood pump.

Images