VAD integrated flow sensor

1. A blood pump, comprising:

a housing defining a flow path therein, the flow path defining a flow path axis, the flow path extending within the housing in upstream and downstream directions, and at least one impeller within the housing for impelling blood along the flow path;

the housing having a first housing element and a second housing element respectively having a first interior surface and a second interior surface, the first and second interior surfaces opposing each other and cooperatively defining there between at least a portion of the flow path, the first housing element having an exterior surface defining a cavity external to and overlying a portion of the flow path;

a first platform having a first platform surface facing downstream to the flow path axis and a second platform having a second platform surface facing upstream to the flow path axis, the first and second platforms being disposed within the cavity, the cavity and the first and second platforms being disposed at substantially the same angle on the exterior surface; and

a first flow sensor mounted to the first platform surface at an oblique angle to the flow path axis.

2. The blood pump of claim 1 , further including a second flow sensor mounted to the second platform surface at an oblique angle to the flow path axis.

3. The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein the first flow sensor and the second flow sensor are ultrasonic transducers.

4. The blood pump of claim 3 , wherein the first platform surface and the second platform surface each have a slope of substantially 45 degrees to the flow path axis.

5. The blood pump of claim 4 , wherein the ultrasonic transducers are mounted to the first platform and the second platform respectively with an adhesive, at a slope of substantially 45 degrees to the flow path axis.

6. The blood pump of claim 5 , wherein an ultrasound signal emitted from the first flow sensor through the flow path to the second housing element, reflects from the second housing element, and is received by the second flow sensor, and wherein the ultrasound signal is emitted and received at an angle oblique to the flow path axis.

7. The blood pump of claim 1 , wherein the housing further includes a cover overlying the cavity in the first housing element.

8. The blood pump of claim 6 , further comprising an electronic circuit disposed within the cavity and connected to the first and second flow sensors.

9. The blood pump of claim 6 , wherein the first and second flow sensors are mounted adjacent an inflow end of the flow path.

10. The blood pump of claim 6 , wherein the first and second flow sensors are mounted adjacent an outflow end of the portion of the flow path.

11. The blood pump of claim 1 , further comprising:

electrical elements for moving the impeller;

an external control unit operative to power the electrical elements; and

a driveline for connecting the impeller and at the flow sensor to the external control unit.

12. The blood pump of claim 11 , wherein the flow sensor is connected to the external control unit through the driveline.

13. The blood pump of claim 12 , wherein the driveline is the sole connection between the impeller and the external control unit.

14. The blood pump of claim 1 , wherein the first platform is substantially a triangular prism.

15. The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein the second platform is substantially a triangular prism.

16. The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein the first platform and the second platform are substantially parallel to each other.