Pulsatile rotary ventricular pump

1. A roller pump conduit defining a pump chamber comprising:

a roller contact portion comprising:

a fill region configured to determine volume delivery per revolution of a roller head and having a substantially constant first width; and

a delivery region configured to produce a pulsatile flow out of the conduit in a configuration wherein no portion of the roller contact portion contacts a raceway and comprising: a discharge region having a substantially constant second width less than the first width; and a pressure region that couples the fill region to the discharge region.

2. The roller pump conduit of claim 1 , wherein the pressure region includes a taper.

3. The roller pump conduit of claim 1 , wherein the pressure region is configured to produce a systolic portion of the pulsatile flow, in a configuration wherein the roller pump conduit is fluidly coupled to a patient.

4. The roller pump conduit of claim 1 , wherein the discharge region is configured to produce a diastolic portion of the pulsatile flow, in a configuration wherein the roller pump conduit is fluidly coupled to a patient.

5. The roller pump conduit of claim 1 , further comprising a bias region configured to receive fluid into the conduit.

6. The roller pump conduit of claim 5 , wherein the bias region comprises a low volume shut-off region, configured to stop the flow of fluid into the fill region when the shut-off region is compressed.

7. The roller pump conduit of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the roller contact portion is varied.

8. The roller pump conduit of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the delivery region is varied, thereby increasing an energy equivalent pressure of the pulsatile flow to at least 10% over a mean arterial pressure of a patient, in a configuration wherein the roller pump conduit is fluidly coupled to the patient.

9. A roller pump for pumping fluids, comprising:

a plurality of rollers coupled to and distributed around a rotor having a drive shaft;

a flexible conduit in contact with at least a portion of the plurality of rollers, comprising:

a roller contact portion comprising:

a fill region configured to determine volume delivery per revolution of a roller head and having a substantially constant first width; and

a delivery region configured to produce a pulsatile flow out of the conduit and comprising:

a discharge region having a substantially constant second width less than the first width; and

a pressure region that couples the fill region to the discharge region,

wherein a thickness of the roller contact portion is varied.

10. The roller pump of claim 9 , wherein the pressure region includes a taper.

11. The roller pump of claim 9 , wherein the pressure region is configured to produce a systolic portion of the pulsatile flow and the discharge region is configured to produce a diastolic portion of the pulsatile flow, in a configuration wherein the roller pump conduit is fluidly coupled to a patient.

12. The roller pump of claim 9 , wherein the rotor is configured to rotate at a substantially constant rate.

13. The roller pump of claim 9 , further comprising a bias region configured to receive fluid into the conduit, wherein the bias region comprises a low volume shut-off region, configured to stop the flow of fluid into the fill region when the shut-off region is compressed.

14. The roller pump of claim 9 , wherein the conduit is injection molded.

15. The roller pump of claim 9 , wherein the conduit is configured to maintain contact with at least two of the plurality of rollers.

16. The roller pump of claim 9 , wherein a thickness of the delivery region is varied, thereby increasing an energy equivalent pressure of the pulsatile flow to at least 10% over a mean arterial pressure of a patient, in a configuration wherein the roller pump conduit is fluidly coupled to the patient.

17. A roller pump for pumping fluids, comprising:

a plurality of rollers coupled to and distributed around a rotor having a drive shaft;

a flexible conduit in contact with at least a portion of the plurality of rollers, comprising:

a roller contact portion comprising:

a fill region configured to determine volume delivery per revolution of a roller head and having a first taper; and

a delivery region configured to produce a pulsatile flow out of the conduit and comprising:

a pressure region configured to produce a systolic portion of the pulsatile flow and a discharge region configured to produce a diastolic portion of the pulsatile flow, in a configuration wherein the roller pump conduit is fluidly coupled to a patient,

wherein a thickness of the roller contact portion is varied.

18. The roller pump of claim 17 , wherein the pressure region includes a second taper.

19. The roller pump of claim 18 , wherein the discharge region includes a third taper having a lesser degree of taper than the second taper.

20. The roller pump of claim 19 , wherein the degree of taper of at least one of the first taper and of the third taper is equal to approximately zero.

21. The roller pump of claim 17 , wherein the rotor is configured to rotate at a substantially constant rate.

22. The roller pump of claim 17 , further comprising a bias region configured to receive fluid into the conduit, wherein the bias region comprises a low volume shut-off region, configured to stop the flow of fluid into the fill region when the shut-off region is compressed.

23. The roller pump of claim 17 , wherein the conduit is in contact with at least two of the plurality of rollers.

24. The roller pump of claim 17 , wherein the conduit is injection molded.

25. The roller pump of claim 17 , wherein a thickness of the delivery region is varied, thereby increasing an energy equivalent pressure of the pulsatile flow to at least 10% over a mean arterial pressure of a patient, in a configuration wherein the roller pump conduit is fluidly coupled to the patient.