Percutaneous Heart Pump with Variable Cross-Section
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heart pumps with fixed cross-sections are too large for percutaneous insertion and cannot provide full cardiac flow rates, posing a challenge for patients needing mechanical circulatory support, especially for the left and right sides of the heart.
Innovation Solution
A percutaneously insertable heart pump system featuring a catheter assembly with an impeller and bearings, an infusion system, and debris capturing structures, designed to provide full cardiac flow rates by using a compact impeller assembly and a fluid management system that minimizes debris and ensures efficient operation within the cardiovascular system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a conventional fixed cross-section heart pump is used, then it can provide near full heart flow rate, but it is too large to be advanced percutaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The heart pump is divided into multiple segments or sections along its length, with each segment capable of independent compression or expansion. This segmentation allows the pump to achieve full cardiac flow rates through coordinated action of multiple smaller pumping units rather than requiring a single large pump, enabling percutaneous insertion while maintaining high flow capability
Solution Approach 2:
The pump transitions from a fixed cross-section design to a variable cross-section design that can expand in the radial dimension when deployed. The catheter is advanced in a collapsed state through the femoral artery, then expanded within the heart chamber to provide the necessary pumping capacity, effectively using the radial dimension to resolve the size contradiction
2Quantity of substance
If surgical insertion is used to insert a heart pump, then full cardiac flow rate can be provided, but additional serious stresses are caused to heart failure patients
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical surgical insertion process with a less invasive percutaneous delivery system. The pump is delivered through a catheter inserted through the femoral artery and deployed within the heart chamber, eliminating the need for open chest surgery and reducing mechanical trauma to the patient while maintaining full cardiac flow rate capability
Solution Approach 2:
A delivery catheter serves as an intermediary device that enables the heart pump to be inserted percutaneously. The catheter is advanced through the vascular system to the heart chamber, where it deploys the pump, thereby mediating between the percutaneous access point and the intracardiac deployment location, reducing patient stress while achieving therapeutic effect
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a percutaneous heart pump is designed, then patient stress is reduced, but the pump cannot provide full cardiac flow rates
Solution Approach 1:
The pump employs dynamic compression and expansion of its segments or chambers during the cardiac cycle. The variable cross-section design allows the pump to expand radially when deployed and dynamically adjust its compression ratio during operation, enabling a compact percutaneous design to achieve full cardiac flow rates through optimized dynamic performance rather than relying on static large dimensions
4Volume of moving object
If a compact impeller assembly is used, then percutaneous insertion is enabled, but debris generation may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pump uses variable compression ratios and controlled expansion parameters to optimize its operation. By carefully controlling the expansion and compression parameters of its segments, the pump achieves effective blood flow with reduced shear stresses and minimized debris generation, despite the compact size required for percutaneous insertion
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 provides full cardiac flow rates, reducing the load on the heart muscle, facilitating recovery while minimizing stress and complications for heart failure patients.
Implementation Method 1
an impeller disposed at a distal portion of the heart pump... an infusant flow channel disposed within the catheter assembly for directing infusant through the catheter assembly
Implementation Method 2
one or more bearings positioned between the catheter body and the impeller... at least one of the bearings comprises a surface facing a portion of the impeller
Implementation Method 3
At least one debris capturing structure including an edge is positioned along the infusant flow channel
Data Source
AI summary
A heart pump is provided that comprises an elongate catheter body, an impeller disposed at the distal end of the elongate catheter body, and one or more bearings positioned between the catheter body and the impeller. A fluid supply line for delivering infusant into the catheter is provided. A fluid return line for transporting infusant out of the catheter is also provided. A pump assembly for regulating the infusant flow along the fluid supply line and fluid return line is provided as part of an infusion system.