Implantable pump with tapered diffuser region
A blood pump, such as an axial flow pump, having a pump housing, the pump housing defining a flow path and having a tapered portion adjacent to an outlet, tapering toward the outlet, an outflow cannula connected to the outlet of the pump housing, and an impeller and diffuser, disposed in the pump housing, the diffuser having a tapered body corresponding to the tapered portion of the pump housing, the diffuser body having at least one vane extending therefrom, the vein tapering in the same direction as the diffuser body. The present invention also includes a method of manufacturing the blood pump and a method of implanting the blood pump.
1. An implantable blood pump, comprising:
a housing having an intake end, an outflow end, and a tapered outlet portion between the intake end and the outflow end;
a cannulated tip extending from the outflow end of the housing;
an impeller disposed in the housing; and
a diffuser disposed in the tapered outlet portion of the housing, the diffuser including:
a tapered body having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a tapered portion extending from the first end to the second end, the tapered body including at least one vane disposed thereon;
a first conically shaped tip extending from the first end of the tapered body toward the intake end; and
a second conically shaped tip extending from the second end of the tapered body toward the outflow end.
2. The implantable blood pump of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a first portion adjacent the intake end, a second portion adjacent the outflow end, and a third portion between the first and second portions, wherein a cross-sectional area of the first portion is greater than a cross-sectional area of the second portion, and a cross-sectional area of the third portion decreases in a direction from the first portion to the second portion.
3. The implantable blood pump of claim 2 , wherein the housing is linear.
4. The implantable blood pump of claim 3 , wherein the diffuser is disposed within the third portion of the housing.
5. The implantable blood pump of claim 4 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the first, second and third portions is circular.
6. The implantable blood pump of claim 5 , wherein an inner surface of the third portion of the housing tapers toward the outflow end in parallel with a surface of the tapered body of the diffuser such that the cross-sectional area of a flow path between the inner surface of the third portion and the diffuser is approximately the same at any point along a length of the body of the diffuser.
7. The implantable blood pump of claim 1 , wherein the tapered body of the diffuser has a truncated cone shape.
8. The implantable blood pump of claim 7 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the tapered body of the diffuser is largest at an intake end of the tapered body.
9. The implantable blood pump of claim 8 , wherein a length of the diffuser is between about 0.50 inches and less than 0.85 inches.
10. The implantable blood pump of claim 1 , wherein the first conically shaped tip includes a volume larger than a volume of the second conically shaped tip.
11. The implantable blood pump of claim 10 , wherein the tapered body of the diffuser includes the at least one vane positioned along a surface defined along a length of the tapered body.
12. The implantable blood pump of claim 11 , wherein the at least one vane further comprises a peak having a height extending outward in a perpendicular direction from the surface of the tapered body, the height tapering along the length of the tapered body in a direction toward the outflow end.
13. The implantable blood pump of claim 12 , wherein the height of the at least one vane along the length of the tapered body tapers relative to the surface of the tapered body of the diffuser.
14. The implantable blood pump of claim 12 , wherein the height of the at least one vane along the length of the tapered body tapers relative to a longitudinal axis of the diffuser.
15. The implantable blood pump of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the at least one vane has a thickness of about 0.03 inches.
16. The implantable blood pump of claim 12 , wherein the length of the diffuser is about 0.55 inches.
17. The implantable blood pump of claim 1 , further comprising a length of the first conically shaped tip being about the same as a length of the second conically shaped tip, wherein the length of each of the first and second conically shaped tips is measured along a longitudinal axis of the tapered body.
18. An implantable blood pump, comprising:
a housing having an intake end, an outflow end, and a tapered outlet portion between the intake end and the outflow end;
an impeller disposed in the housing; and
a diffuser disposed within the tapered outlet portion of the housing, the diffuser including a tapered body, a first conically shaped tapered tip extending from the tapered body in a direction toward the intake end, and a second conically shaped tapered tip extending from the tapered body in a direction toward the outflow end, the tapered body having an angle different than an angle of the first conically shaped tapered tip.
19. The implantable blood pump according to claim 18 , wherein the tapered body includes at least one vane disposed thereon.