Blood Pump Comprising Polymeric Components

1 . A rotary blood pump including: a motor adapted to magnetically rotate an impeller within a housing; characterised in that the impeller or the housing are formed of a composite material and said composite material includes a first material that is a relatively, insulative, biocompatible and impermeable polymer.

2 . The rotary blood pump as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the composite material includes a second material that reinforces the polymer.

3 . The rotary blood pump as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pump includes an insulative member formed from said first material.

4 . The rotary blood pump as claimed in claim 3 , said insulative member is disposed between portions of the motor to reduce eddy currents losses.

5 . A rotary blood pump as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first material has been surface modified by treatment of plasma immersion ion implantation.

6 . A rotary blood pump as claimed in claim 1 , said impeller includes magnets that are encapsulated by an impermeable fluid barrier.

7 . A rotary blood pump as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first material is: PEEK, FRP, PC, PS, PEPU, PCU, SiU, PVC, PVDF, PE, PMMA, ABS, PET, PA, AR, PDSM, SP, AEK, T, MPP or a combination thereof.

8 . The rotary blood pump as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said impeller is hydrodynamically suspended.

9 . A rotary blood pump including: a motor adapted to magnetically rotate a hydrodynamically suspended impeller within a housing, characterised in that the impeller and/or the housing are formed of a composite material, said pump including at least one insulative member disposed between portions of said motor to reduce eddy current losses and said insulative member is substantially formed from a biocompatible and impermeable polymer.

10 . A rotary blood pump as claimed in claim 9 wherein said composite material includes a metal metallic alloy.

11 . A rotary blood pump as claimed in claim 10 wherein said metallic alloy is a titanium alloy.