Expandable Percutaneous Heart Pump for Full Cardiac Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional heart pumps with fixed cross-sections are too large for percutaneous insertion, making it difficult to provide full cardiac flow rates for both left and right sides of the heart, which is necessary for effective mechanical circulatory support in heart failure patients without causing additional stress.

Innovation Solution

A heart pump design featuring a catheter assembly with an impeller assembly and hydrodynamic bearings, capable of percutaneous insertion, that supports pressure-velocity ranges of up to 50,000 psi-ft/min, and includes an expandable housing and rounded impeller blades for enhanced biocompatibility and flow efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a conventional fixed cross-section heart pump is used, then it can provide full cardiac flow rates, but it is too large for percutaneous insertion and requires surgical insertion which causes additional stress

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecardiac flow rateVSAvoidpump size

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The heart pump transitions from a static, fixed cross-section design to a dynamic, expandable design. The pump can be compressed to a small profile for percutaneous insertion and then expanded to a larger size for full cardiac flow support, allowing the device to adapt its size to different operational requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The expandable heart pump employs a nested structure where the pump housing and impeller can be collapsed into a compact form that fits within a percutaneous delivery catheter, similar to how nested dolls fit one inside another. This allows the full-sized pump to be delivered through a small access point

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Productivity

If surgical insertion is performed to insert a heart pump, then full cardiac flow rates can be achieved, but additional serious stresses are caused to heart failure patients

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecardiac flow rateVSAvoidpatient stress

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces the mechanical surgical insertion process with a less invasive percutaneous delivery method. Instead of requiring open surgery or thoracotomy to implant the pump, the device is delivered through a small catheter inserted through the skin and blood vessels, significantly reducing mechanical trauma and patient stress

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a percutaneous heart pump is designed, then patient stress is minimized, but the pump must be small in size which limits its ability to provide full cardiac flow rates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient stressVSAvoidcardiac flow rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The pump delivery system is segmented into separate functional components: a delivery catheter for percutaneous insertion, an expandable pump housing, and an impeller assembly. This segmentation allows the pump to be delivered in a compact state and then assembled or expanded to its functional configuration inside the patient's body

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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

Enables percutaneous insertion and operation, providing full cardiac flow rates while minimizing stress and hemolysis, thus supporting heart recovery without the need for surgical insertion.

Implementation Method 1

The impeller bearings can be configured to support the impeller assembly in a pressure-velocity range of about 20,000 - 50,000 psi-ft/min

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrodynamic bearing: Lubrication

Data Source

PatentEP3539585B1Percutaneous heart pump

Publication Date: 2023.02.15 TC1 LLC

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Figure 1A
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AI summary

A heart pump and a catheter assembly therefor are provided that include a flexible catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end, the catheter body having a plurality of lumens therethrough. The catheter body can be sufficiently flexible to extend from a peripheral access to a patient's heart. The catheter assembly can also include an impeller assembly having an impeller and a housing. The impeller assembly can be coupled with the flexible catheter body such that a tensile force applied to opposite ends of the catheter assembly enhances the security of the connection between the catheter body and the impeller assembly.