Magenta Medical Ltd.

Rainbow Medical Ltd.

Bluewind Medical Ltd.

Maxillent Ltd.

Syneron Medical Ltd.

Discure Technologies Ltd.

Diagnostic Robotics Ltd.

Zev Sohn

Yosi Tuval

Ehud Schwammenthal

Yossi Gross

Daniel Glozman

Gad Lubinsky

Yuri Sudin

Avi Rozenfeld

Yinnon Elisha

Victor Troshin

Hagit Zemer Harel

Shaul Mustacchi

Gideon Fostick

Gur Oron

Bar Eytan

Ilan Uchitel

Adi Alphandary

Shaul Jacob Leisner Mustacchi

Opher Kinrot

Galit Levin

Leonid Yanovitz

Danny Neeman

Michael Kardosh

Rami Lore

Ofir Rimer-Cohen

Amir Kishon

Ido Sadan

Jonathan Yalom

Omri Gino

Shlomi Ronen

Roy Katz

Yonatan Amir

Harel Hagit Zemer

Yoshi Tuval

Yosi Tuva

Apparatus and methods are described including delivering a left-ventricular assist device to a subject's aorta. The device including a distal-tip element that defines a straight proximal portion, and a curved distal portion, the curved distal portion defining first and second curves with an elongated straight portion between the first and second curves. The distal-tip element is centered with respect to the aortic valve using the curved distal portion of the distal-tip element, to thereby guide the device through the subject's aortic valve atraumatically. A pump pumps blood through from the subject's left ventricle to the subject's aorta. Other applications are also described.

Distal tip element for a ventricular assist device

Apparatus and methods are described including delivering a left-ventricular assist device to a subject's left ventricle. A tube is positioned such that a proximal portion of the tube traverses an aortic valve of the subject, and a distal portion of the tube is disposed within a left ventricle of the subject. A pump pumps blood through the tube from the subject's left ventricle to the subject's aorta such as to cause the proximal portion of the tube to be maintained in an open state, and to cause at least a portion of the tube to become curved. Other applications are also described.

Curved tube for a ventricular assist device

A method is provided that includes providing an electrode, which includes a wire that has a wire diameter of between 75 and 125 microns. The wire includes a non-electrically-insulated current-application longitudinal segment, which, in the absence of any applied forces, is coiled and has (i) an outer coil diameter of between 3 and 7 times the wire diameter, and (ii) an entire longitudinal length of between 5 and 35 mm. The wire further includes an electrically-insulated lead longitudinal segment, which has an entire longitudinal length of at least 10 mm, in the absence of any applied forces. At least a portion of the electrode is implanted in a body of a subject. Other embodiments are also described.

Method for disc therapy

Apparatus and methods are described including placing, into a subject's body, a blood-pump tube, with an impeller disposed within the blood-pump tube. At least one blood-pressure-measurement element extends to at least an outer surface of the blood-pump tube, such that the distal end of the blood-pressure-measurement element is in direct fluid communication with a bloodstream of the subject outside the blood-pump tube at a location that is proximal to blood-inlet opening(s) defined by the blood-pump tube. Blood is pumped through the blood-pump tube, using the impeller. Pressure of the bloodstream of the subject outside the blood-pump tube is measured by measuring blood pressure at the distal end of the left-ventricular blood-pressure-measurement element. Other applications are also described.

Blood-pressure-measurement element

Apparatus and methods are described including a ventricular assist device that includes a frame having struts that define a plurality of cells. In its non-radially-constrained configuration, the frame includes a generally cylindrical portion. A tube defines blood outlet openings, and a portion of the tube is disposed outside the frame and is coupled to the generally cylindrical portion of the frame, such that the portion of the tube conforms with a structure of struts of the frame. An inner lining is coupled to an inside of the generally cylindrical portion of the frame, such as to provide the generally cylindrical portion of the frame with a smooth inner surface. An impeller is disposed at least partially inside the generally cylindrical portion of the frame and is configured to pump blood through the tube and out of the one of more blood outlet openings. Other applications are also described.

Impeller housing

Apparatus and methods are described including a ventricular assist device that includes a tube configured to traverse a subject's aortic valve. The tube defines a generally-cylindrical central portion, and a proximal conical portion that narrows from a proximal end of the central portion to a proximal end of the tube. The tube defines one or more blood inlet openings in a vicinity of a distal end of the tube, and one or more blood outlet openings that extend axially from the central portion of the tube at least partially into the proximal conical portion of the tube. A blood pump pumps blood into the tube from the subject's left ventricle through the one or more blood inlet openings, and from the tube into the aorta through the one or more blood outlet openings. Other applications are also described.

Tube for ventricular assist device

Apparatus and methods are described including a blood pump that includes an impeller configured to pump blood through a subject's body, and a frame disposed around the impeller. In a radially-non-constrained configuration of the frame, the frame defines a proximal conical portion and a cylindrical portion disposed distally to the proximal conical portion. During operation of the blood pump, the impeller moves with respect to the frame, and a range of movement of the impeller is such that at least a first portion of the impeller is disposed within the proximal conical portion of the frame during at least some of the operation of the blood pump, and at least a second portion of the impeller is disposed within the cylindrical portion of the frame during at least some of the operation of the blood pump. Other applications are also described.

Impleller and frame for a blood pump

Apparatus and methods are described including a left ventricular assist device that includes an impeller configured to be placed inside a left ventricle of a subject and to pump blood from the left ventricle to an aorta of the subject, by rotating. A frame is disposed around the impeller. A tube is configured to traverse an aortic valve of the subject, such that a proximal portion of the tube is disposed within the subject's aorta and a distal portion of the tube is disposed within the subject's left ventricle. The distal portion of the tube extends to a distal end of the frame and defines one or more lateral blood inlet openings that are configured to allow blood to flow from the subject's left ventricle into the tube. Other applications are also described.

Ventricular assist device

Apparatus and methods are described including a blood pump catheter that includes an axial shaft, and an impeller disposed on the axial shaft. A motor drives the impeller to pump blood, by rotating the impeller. A drive cable extends from the motor to the axial shaft, the drive cable being configured to impart rotational motion from the motor to the impeller by rotating. A distal tip portion is disposed at a distal end of the blood pump catheter. The drive cable, the axial shaft, and the distal tip portion define a continuous lumen therethrough from outside the subject's body to the distal end of the blood pump catheter. The continuous lumen facilitates insertion of the blood pump catheter into the subject's body over a guidewire, and, subsequently, provides a channel through which the purging fluid flows. Other applications are also described.

Blood pump catheter with dual-function continuous lumen

Apparatus and methods are described including a blood pump configured to be placed inside a body of subject. The blood pump includes an impeller, a frame disposed around the impeller, and a distal-tip portion disposed distally with respect to the frame. A duckbill valve is disposed entirely within a distal most 10 mm of the distal-tip portion. The duckbill valve defines a wide inlet and a narrow tip that defines a slit therethrough. The duckbill valve is proximally facing, such that the wide inlet faces a distal end of the distal-tip portion and such that the narrow tip faces away from the distal end of distal-tip portion. Other applications are also described.

Duckbill valve for use with percutaneous medical devices

Apparatus and methods are described, including a left-ventricular assist device that includes an impeller, and a frame disposed around the impeller, the frame having a length of more than 25 mm when disposed in a non-radially constrained configuration. A rigid axial shaft extends from a proximal end of the frame to a distal end of the frame. A motor is disposed outside a body of a subject, and drives the impeller to pump blood within the subject's body, by rotating. A drive cable extends from outside the subject's body to the axial shaft. The drive cable imparts rotational motion from the motor to the impeller by rotating. The drive cable is a flexible cable comprising a plurality of coiled wires. Other applications are also described.

Flexible drive cable with rigid axial shaft

Apparatus and methods are described including a left ventricular assist device. The left ventricular assist device includes an impeller configured to be placed inside a subject's left ventricle, and to pump blood from the subject's left ventricle to the subject's aorta, by rotating. A frame is disposed around the impeller. A tube traverses the subject's aortic valve, such that a proximal portion of the tube is disposed within the subject's aorta and a distal portion of the tube is disposed within the subject's left ventricle. The distal portion of the tube defines one or more blood inlet openings that are configured to allow blood to flow from the subject's left ventricle into the tube. A braided element is configured to prevent inner structures of the left ventricle from passing into the one or more blood inlet openings. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described including a blood pump configured to be placed inside a body of subject, the blood pump including an impeller configured to pump the subject's blood by rotating, and an axial shaft upon which the impeller is disposed. Proximal and distal radial bearings are configured to stabilize the axial shaft radially during rotation of the impeller. An atraumatic distal-tip portion is disposed distally with respect to the impeller, the atraumatic distal-tip portion including an inflatable portion. A purging fluid is pumped toward the distal-tip portion, such as to (a) purge the distal bearing, and (b) inflate the inflatable portion of the distal-tip portion. Other applications are also described.

Atraumatic balloon for blood pump

Apparatus and methods are described including a left ventricular assist device. The left ventricular assist device includes an impeller configured to be placed inside a subject's left ventricle, and to pump blood from the subject's left ventricle to the subject's aorta, by rotating. A frame is disposed around the impeller. A tube traverses the subject's aortic valve, such that a proximal portion of the tube is disposed within the subject's aorta and a distal portion of the tube is disposed within the subject's left ventricle. The distal portion of the tube defines one or more blood inlet openings that are configured to allow blood to flow from the subject's left ventricle into the tube. A mesh is configured to prevent inner structures of the left ventricle from passing into the one or more blood inlet openings. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described including a ventricular assist device that includes an impeller configured to be placed inside a subject's left ventricle. A frame is disposed around the impeller, the frame defining generally-cylindrical central portion, and a proximal conical portion that widens from a proximal end of the frame to a proximal end of the generally-cylindrical central portion. A motor drives the impeller to pump blood from the left ventricle to the subject's aorta, by rotation of the impeller. The impeller is configured to be disposed at least partially within the proximal conical portion of the frame during at least some of a time during which the impeller rotates. Other applications are also described.

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Ginot Shomron, Israel

Zev Sohn