Distally Facing Blood-Outlets for Centered LVAD Aortic Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ventricular assist devices face challenges in effectively centering and directing blood flow within the aorta, leading to inefficiencies in cardiac support and potential complications during percutaneous coronary interventions.
Innovation Solution
A left-ventricular assist device with a pump-outlet tube featuring an expandable element, such as a stent or inflatable balloon, that centers the device within the aorta and directs blood flow through strategically designed blood-outlet openings, utilizing an impeller to pump blood from the left ventricle into the aorta.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the pump-outlet tube is inserted through the aorta into the left ventricle with blood-outlet openings disposed within the aorta, then blood can be pumped from the left ventricle into the aorta, but the device may not be properly centered within the aorta leading to inefficient blood flow direction
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable element is deployed within the aorta before final device positioning to establish proper centering. The delivery tube with expandable element is advanced through the aorta, the expandable element is inflated to contact the aortic wall and center the device, then the pump-outlet tube is positioned with blood-outlet openings facing the aorta for efficient blood flow
2Ease of operation
If the expandable element is positioned proximally to the blood-outlet openings with short delivery tube length, then device centering is improved, but the distance for blood flow direction control is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable element is positioned in the radial dimension to contact the aortic wall and center the device, while the blood-outlet openings are oriented in the axial dimension to face the aorta. This multi-dimensional positioning allows the delivery tube to be short while still achieving both centering and proper blood flow direction
3Productivity
If the pump-outlet tube defines blood-outlet openings facing the aorta, then blood flow directionality is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump-outlet tube is designed with asymmetric blood-outlet openings that face specifically toward the aorta rather than being uniformly distributed. This asymmetric configuration provides directional blood flow control while maintaining a relatively simple tubular structure without additional complex components
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 enhances blood flow directionality and centering within the aorta, improving cardiac support and reducing complications during interventions by ensuring effective blood flow and device positioning.
Implementation Method 1
an expandable element surrounds a delivery tube of a left-ventricular assist device. For example, the expandable element may include an expandable stent, an expandable braided element, or an inflatable element (e.g., a balloon)
Implementation Method 2
An impeller is disposed within the distal portion of the pump-outlet tube and is configured to pump blood of the subject proximally through the pump-outlet tube
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods are described including a left-ventricular assist device that includes a pump-outlet tube shaped to define one or more blood-outlet openings and including a narrower section, and a wider section, which is proximal to and wider than the narrower section, and which is shaped to define at least a portion of each of the blood-outlet openings such that a normal vector to the portion has a distally-facing component. The pump-outlet tube is inserted, through the subject's aorta, into the subject's left ventricle such that the pump-outlet tube traverses an aortic valve of the subject with the blood-outlet openings being disposed within the aorta. An impeller is disposed within the narrower section of the pump-outlet tube and is configured to pump blood of the subject, through the blood-outlet openings, from the left ventricle into the aorta. Other applications are also described.