Tc1 LLC

Thoratec Corporation

Christopher James Cotter

Justin Aron Callaway

Maria Dominika Kulinski

Kevin Bourque

Cori G Pierce

Ben Gamulo

Jeff Narum

Keith Kearsley

Ramesh Babu Jayaraman

John C Layton

Jorge Jimenez

Daniel I Harjes

Justin Aaron Callaway

Julien Duhamel

Kathryn B Frederick

Kaitlyn Nicole Spink

Peter J Gazzara, Iii

Olivier C Bataille

Cori Pierce

Methods of operating a blood pump having a magnetically levitated impeller. A method of operating a blood pump includes controlling supply of drive currents to drive coils of the blood pump to magnetically rotate an impeller around an impeller axis of rotation within a blood flow channel of a blood pump. Supply of a bearing current to a levitation coil of the blood pump is controlled to magnetically levitate the impeller in a direction transverse to the impeller axis of rotation so as to minimize power consumption of the blood pump during operation of the blood pump.

Method of operating a blood pump having a magnetically levitated impeller

An implantable system includes a ventricular assist device and a cuff for attachment to a heart. The ventricular assist device includes an inlet cannula. The cuff defines an opening for insertion of the inlet cannula into the opening. The cuff includes an annular fastening member and an attachment member. The annular fastening member is configured to be sutured to heart tissue. The attachment member includes flexible extensions. Each of the flexible extensions is configured to interface with the inlet cannula during insertion of the inlet cannula into the opening so as to cause the flexible extension to flex outward to accommodate passing of the inlet cannula along the opening. Each of the flexible extensions is configured to interface with the inlet cannula to impede extraction of the inlet cannula from the opening.

Ventricular cuff

Methods and apparatus for estimating flow rate in a blood circulation assist system employing impeller eccentricity. A method includes magnetically rotating an impeller within a blood flow channel of a blood pump. The impeller is levitated within the blood flow channel transverse to the impeller axis of rotation. A rotational speed for the impeller is determined. At least one impeller transverse position parameter is determined. The at least one impeller transverse position parameter is based on at least one of (1) an amount of a bearing current that is used to levitate the impeller transverse to the impeller axis of rotation, and (2) a position of the impeller within the blood flow channel transverse to the impeller axis of rotation. A flow rate of blood pumped by the blood pump is estimated based on the impeller rotational speed and the at least one impeller transverse position parameter.

Flow estimation using hall-effect sensors and/or magnetic bearing currents

An implantable system includes a ventricular assist device (VAD), a cuff for attachment to a heart, and a latching mechanism attached to the VAD. The VAD includes an inlet cannula. The cuff defines an outward facing circumferential groove and an opening for the inlet cannula. The cuff includes a plurality of ridges disposed at least partially within the outward facing circumferential groove. The latching mechanism is reconfigurable between an unlatched configuration in which the latching mechanism accommodates insertion of the inlet cannula into the opening and a latched configuration in which the latching mechanism is engaged with the cuff to restrain the position of the inlet cannula relative to the cuff and engaged with at least one of the plurality of ridges to block rotation of the VAD relative to the cuff.

The present disclosure provides an apical connector for use in a heart wall. The apical connector may include a port defining an aperture therethrough, an anchoring device extending distally from the port and configured for advancing at least partially through the heart wall, and a cannula configured for advancing through the aperture of the port and at least partially through the heart wall. The cannula may include a locking tab configured to engage the port and lock the cannula with respect to the port.

Apical connectors and instruments for use in a heart wall

Flow estimation using hall-effect sensors

In one general aspect, an implant includes a cuff defining an opening configured to receive a cannula coupled to a heart pump. The implant includes a coupling mechanism having a first position and a second position, the cuff being uncoupled from the cannula in the first position and the coupling mechanism coupling the cuff to the cannula in the second position. The implant includes a locking mechanism configured to secure the coupling mechanism in the second position, and the locking mechanism is configured to be moved to a locked position after the coupling mechanism is in the second position.

Flow estimation using hall-effect sensors for measuring impeller eccentricity

A modular driveline includes a modular portion including a cable and a connector, the cable having terminations, and a percutaneous portion including a cable and a connector, the cable having terminations. The percutaneous portion connector couples to the modular portion connector, and cable terminations at the connectors are captured in the connectors by potting. The cable can include an inner member, conductors disposed about the inner member, a covering about the conductors, a layer extruded onto the covering, an armor braid over the extruded layer, and an outer jacket extruded over the armor braid.

Modular driveline

A percutaneous cable includes a cable body having a first end and second end, the cable body including a sheath adapted to traverse a patient's skin. The cable includes a plurality of conductors disposed within the cable body configured to transmit power and control data between a system controller and two implantable pumps. The cable includes a first connector disposed at the first end of the cable body and coupled to the plurality of conductors, the first connector configured to connect the cable body to the system controller. The cable includes a second connector disposed at the second end of the cable body, the second connector comprising a first set of contacts and a second set of contacts.

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Newburyport, MA, United States of America

Christopher James Cotter