Pump-Outlet Tube Sections for Centered Aortic Blood 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 by contacting the aortic wall, and an impeller to pump blood proximally, along with a delivery tube and drive cable for rotation, ensuring precise blood flow and positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pump-outlet tube is inserted through the aorta into the left ventricle to assist cardiac function, then cardiac output is improved, but the device may become mispositioned or malaligned within the aorta
Solution Approach 1:
The pump-outlet tube is pre-shaped with a curved configuration that corresponds to the natural anatomy of the aorta. This preliminary shaping allows the device to self-align and follow the aortic curvature during insertion, ensuring proper positioning without requiring complex real-time adjustment procedures during the intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump-outlet tube incorporates a curved or bent geometry rather than a straight configuration. This curvature matches the anatomical path of the aorta, enabling the device to navigate and maintain proper alignment within the vascular structure, thereby improving positioning ease while maintaining reliable cardiac support.
2Productivity
If the pump-outlet tube directs blood flow through the aorta, then cardiac output is enhanced, but blood flow direction and distribution may be suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The pump-outlet tube features locally optimized flow-directing elements at its distal end, such as asymmetric outlet openings or flow-guiding surfaces positioned specifically to direct blood flow into major aortic branches. This local modification ensures optimal blood distribution to different vascular territories while maintaining overall high cardiac output productivity.
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 the centering and blood flow direction within the aorta, improving cardiac support and reducing complications during interventions by maintaining the device's position and optimizing blood flow, thus enhancing the assistive function of the ventricular assist device.
Implementation Method 1
the expandable element is configured to center a portion of the ventricular assist device (e.g., a portion of the delivery tube and, in particular, the portion of the delivery tube near the pump-outlet tube) within the aorta, by contacting the aorta wall
Implementation Method 2
an impeller disposed within the distal portion of the pump-outlet tube and 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 laterally-facing blood-outlet openings and including a first section and a second section that overlap one another between the laterally-facing blood-outlet openings. The pump-outlet tube is configured for insertion, through an aorta of a subject, into a left ventricle of a heart of the subject such that the pump-outlet tube traverses an aortic valve of the subject with the lateral blood-outlet openings being disposed within the aorta. An impeller is disposed within the first section of the pump-outlet tube and is configured to pump blood of the subject, through the laterally-facing blood-outlet openings, from the left ventricle into the aorta. Other applications are also described.