Non-invasive diagnostics for ventricle assist device

1. A method of controlling a pump motor in an assist device for pumping blood of a patient, comprising the steps of:

monitoring an actual pump flow value as the assist device pumps blood to the patient;

determining an expected minimum pump flow value corresponding to nominal pump operation for the monitored speed and current flow;

when the actual pump flow value is greater than the expected minimum pump flow value, setting a target speed of the pump motor according to predetermined criteria;

when the actual pump flow value is less than the expected minimum pump flow value for at least a first diagnostic wait time, then entering a pump flow diagnostic state;

wherein the pump flow diagnostic state is comprised of:

entering a low pump flow state if the actual pump flow value is less than a low flow threshold for at least a low flow wait time, wherein the low flow threshold is less than the expected minimum pump flow value, and wherein the low pump flow state includes generating a low flow warning;

entering a no pump flow state if the actual pump flow value is less than a no flow threshold for at least a no flow wait time, wherein the no pump flow state includes generating a no flow warning, wherein the no flow threshold is less than the low flow threshold, and wherein the no flow wait time is less than the low flow wait time; and

entering an obstructed flow diagnostic state if the actual pump flow value is less than the expected minimum pump flow value for at least an obstruction diagnostic wait time, wherein the obstruction diagnostic wait time is greater than the low flow wait time; and

wherein the obstructed flow diagnostic state is comprised of:

selectably modifying the target speed of the pump motor and monitoring the resultant actual pump flow value;

detecting an inflow obstruction if a reduction in target speed is correlated with a predetermined increase in the resultant actual pump flow value; and

if an inflow obstruction is detected, then selectably decreasing the target speed to a new target that substantially maximizes the actual pump flow value.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

determining a pulsatility value in response to the resultant actual pump flow value;

wherein the inflow obstruction is detected if the reduction in target speed is correlated with either 1) an increase in the resultant actual pump flow value greater than a diagnostic flow threshold, or 2) an increase in the resultant actual pump flow value less than the diagnostic flow threshold coupled with a decrease in the pulsatility value that is greater than a diagnostic pulsatility threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the obstructed flow diagnostic state is further comprised of:

detecting an outflow obstruction if a reduction in target speed is correlated with a predetermined decrease in the resultant actual pump flow value; and

if an outflow obstruction is detected, then selectably increasing the target speed to a new target until either a predetermined maximum speed or an actual pump flow value substantially equal to the expected minimum pump flow value is obtained.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

determining a pulsatility value in response to the resultant actual pump flow value;

wherein the outflow obstruction is detected if the reduction in target speed is con-elated with either 1) a decrease in the resultant actual pump flow value greater than a diagnostic flow threshold, or 2) a decrease in the resultant actual pump flow value less than the diagnostic flow threshold coupled with an increase in the pulsatility value that is greater than a diagnostic pulsatility threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining a pulsatility value in response to the resultant actual pump flow value;

detecting a saturated flow if the reduction in target speed is con-elated with 1) an increase in the resultant actual pump flow value less than a diagnostic flow threshold, and 2) a decrease in the pulsatility value that is less than a diagnostic pulsatility threshold; and

if a saturated flow is detected, then selectably decreasing the target speed to a new target until either a predetermined minimum speed is obtained or a decrease in the actual pump flow value substantially equal to the diagnostic flow threshold is obtained.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein substantially maximizing the actual pump flow value when an inflow obstruction is detected is comprised of:

progressively decreasing the target speed until either 1) the new target speed reaches a predetermined minimum speed, or 2) a new resultant actual pump flow value is less than a previous resultant actual pump flow value.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selectably modifying the target speed and monitoring the resultant actual pump flow value is comprised of:

conducting a plurality of trials that alternate between the target speed and a reduced speed equal to the target speed minus a diagnostic speed change.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the correlation for detecting an inflow obstruction is detected when a majority of successive pairs of the trials exhibit the predetermined increase in the resultant actual pump flow value at the reduced speed.

9. A system for coupling to a patient to assist blood flow in the patient, comprising:

a pump adapted to receive an inflow of blood from the patient and to provide an outflow of blood back to the patient;

a motor coupled to rotate the pump at a selectable speed;

a controller coupled to the motor and adapted to drive the motor at a target speed via a driver signal generated by the controller, wherein the controller is configured to:

monitor the pump during operation of the assist device to detect an actual pump flow value;

determine an expected minimum pump flow value corresponding to nominal pump operation for the monitored speed and current flow;

when the actual pump flow value is greater than the expected minimum pump flow value, then setting a target speed of the pump motor according to predetermined criteria;

when the actual pump flow value is less than the expected minimum pump flow value for at least a first diagnostic wait time, then entering a pump flow diagnostic state;

wherein the pump flow diagnostic state is comprised of:

entering a low pump flow state if the actual pump flow value is less than a low flow threshold for at least a low flow wait time, wherein the low flow threshold is less than the expected minimum pump flow value, and wherein the low pump flow state includes generating a low flow warning;

entering a no pump flow state if the actual pump flow value is less than a no flow threshold for at least a no flow wait time, wherein the no pump flow state includes generating a no flow warning, wherein the no flow threshold is less than the low flow threshold, and wherein the no flow wait time is less than the low flow wait time; and

entering an obstructed flow diagnostic state if the actual pump flow value is less than the expected minimum pump flow value for at least an obstruction diagnostic wait time, wherein the obstruction diagnostic wait time is greater than the low flow wait time;

and wherein the obstructed flow diagnostic state is comprised of:

selectably modifying the target speed of the pump motor and monitoring the resultant actual pump flow value;

detecting an inflow obstruction if a reduction in target speed is correlated with a predetermined increase in the resultant actual pump flow value; and

if an inflow obstruction is detected, then selectably decreasing the target speed to a new target that substantially maximizes the actual pump flow value.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a pulsatility value in response to the resultant actual pump flow value;

wherein the inflow obstruction is detected if the reduction in target speed is correlated with either 1) an increase in the resultant actual pump flow value greater than a diagnostic flow threshold, or 2) an increase in the resultant actual pump flow value less than the diagnostic flow threshold coupled with a decrease in the pulsatility value that is greater than a diagnostic pulsatility threshold.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the obstructed flow diagnostic state is further comprised of:

detecting an outflow obstruction if a reduction in target speed is correlated with a predetermined decrease in the resultant actual pump flow value; and

if an outflow obstruction is detected, then selectably increasing the target speed to a new target until either a predetermined maximum speed or an actual pump flow value substantially equal to the expected minimum pump flow value is obtained.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a pulsatility value in response to the resultant actual pump flow value;

wherein the outflow obstruction is detected if the reduction in target speed is correlated with either 1) a decrease in the resultant actual pump flow value greater than a diagnostic flow threshold, or 2) a decrease in the resultant actual pump flow value less than the diagnostic flow threshold coupled with an increase in the pulsatility value that is greater than a diagnostic pulsatility threshold.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a pulsatility value in response to the resultant actual pump flow value;

detect a saturated flow if the reduction in target speed is correlated with 1) an increase in the resultant actual pump flow value less than a diagnostic flow threshold, and 2) a decrease in the pulsatility value that is less than a diagnostic pulsatility threshold; and

if a saturated flow is detected, then selectably decrease the target speed to a new target until either a predetermined minimum speed is obtained or a decrease in the actual pump flow value substantially equal to the diagnostic flow threshold is obtained.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein substantially maximizing the actual pump flow value when an inflow obstruction is detected is comprised of:

progressively decreasing the target speed until either 1) the new target speed reaches a predetermined minimum speed, or 2) a new resultant actual pump flow value is less than a previous resultant actual pump flow value.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein selectably modifying the target speed and monitoring the resultant actual pump flow value is comprised of:

conducting a plurality of trials that alternate between the target speed and a reduced speed equal to the target speed minus a diagnostic speed change.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the correlation for detecting an inflow obstruction is detected when a majority of successive pairs of the trials exhibit the predetermined increase in the resultant actual pump flow value at the reduced speed.