Thoratec Corporation

Datascope Investment Corporation

Brian A Prais

Daniel A Walters

Jonathan R Williams

William James Repka

Paul A Nigroni

Robert Freamon

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.

Catheter pump

In order to fully automate the inflation timing and deflation timing of an intra-aortic balloon pump, certain delays intrinsic in the system must be taken into account. A process for calculating these delays includes determining a nominal inflate command time, adding a dither time interval to the nominal inflate command time to obtain an actual inflate time, and determining a deflate command time. An inflation/deflation cycle is then processed in which the intra-aortic balloon pump is inflated at the actual inflate command time and deflated at the deflate command time. Blood pressure data is acquired from the patient during the inflation/deflation cycle, and is then analyzed to determine a realization time at which the effects of inflating the intra-aortic balloon are realized on the blood pressure waveform. From this the total delay time between the actual inflate command time and the realization time can be determined.

Timing of intra-aortic balloon pump therapy

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Salisbury Mills, NY, United States of America

Brian A Prais