Expandable Aortic Blood Pump for Renal Perfusion Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for increasing renal artery and kidney perfusion using blood pumps in the descending aorta and reducing blood pressure in the renal vein have deficiencies that can be addressed by catheter-based blood pumps and improved methods of placement and use.
Innovation Solution
The use of expandable blood pumps with multiple impellers positioned in the descending aorta or inferior vena cava, which are advanced, expanded, and rotated to achieve high flow rates, with radial flow components to perfuse renal arteries and veins, and optionally include inflatable anchors for stabilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single impeller pump is used in the descending aorta, then the device complexity is reduced, but the flow rate is insufficient to achieve effective renal artery perfusion
Solution Approach 1:
The pump is divided into multiple impellers (at least two impellers) positioned at different locations within the blood conduit. Each impeller contributes to the overall flow generation, enabling the pump to achieve higher flow rates (at least 3.5 L/min) that are sufficient for effective renal artery perfusion, while distributing the functional load across multiple components
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple impellers are combined within a single expandable pump housing that is deployed in the descending aorta. The impellers work together in a coordinated manner, with each impeller drawing blood from the aorta and contributing to the radial outflow that perfuses the renal arteries, achieving synergistic flow enhancement
2Productivity
If the pump is positioned in the descending aorta, then renal artery perfusion is improved, but axial migration occurs compromising pump stability
Solution Approach 1:
Expandable anchors are deployed at the ends of the blood conduit before or during the expansion of the pump housing. These anchors embed into the aortic wall to prevent axial migration of the pump, ensuring stable positioning is established before the pump begins its perfusion function
Solution Approach 2:
The pump housing and blood conduit are designed to be expandable from a compressed delivery state to an expanded operational state. This dynamic transformation allows the pump to be delivered through catheters and then expanded at the target location to achieve both stable anchoring and effective renal artery perfusion
3Productivity
If the blood conduit is expanded to a large diameter, then flow capacity is improved, but the pump profile during delivery increases making catheter-based placement difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The blood conduit and pump housing are designed with expandable structures that transition from a compressed low-profile state during delivery to an expanded high-capacity state at the implantation site. This dynamic size change enables catheter-based delivery through small access points while achieving large flow capacity (at least 3.5 L/min) when deployed in the descending aorta
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable pump components are nested within a delivery catheter in a compressed state. The blood conduit is collapsed around the impellers and drive mechanism, allowing the entire pump assembly to be delivered through a percutaneous access site and then expanded in situ to achieve the required flow capacity
4Productivity
If multiple impellers are added to increase flow rate, then renal artery perfusion is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pump is segmented into modular components including multiple impellers, a blood conduit, expandable anchors, and a drive mechanism. Each component can be manufactured separately using standardized processes and then assembled, reducing the overall manufacturing complexity despite the increased number of moving parts
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple impellers are designed with uniform or near-uniform dimensions and mounting configurations, allowing for standardized manufacturing processes. The impellers can be produced using the same tooling and assembly procedures, reducing manufacturing complexity despite the increased flow rate capability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves higher flow rates than existing single impeller pumps, effectively perfusing renal arteries and reducing renal venous pressure, while minimizing axial migration and maintaining blood flow.
Implementation Method 1
rotating the first and second expandable impellers to thereby move blood into the pump, through the blood conduit, and out of the pump
Implementation Method 2
expanding the expandable blood conduit to an expanded and deployed configuration within the descending aorta
Implementation Method 3
the outflow is at least partially directed radially into the renal artery due to the position of the blood conduit in the descending aorta
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and devices for supporting circulation. The methods may include positioning a blood pump in the arterial vasculature or the venous vasculature. The methods may include positioning a pump portion of the blood pump in a descending aorta, an inferior vena cava, a renal artery, and/or a renal vein. The methods include delivering a pump portion of a blood pump to a target location and rotating one or more impellers to move blood through the pump portion.