Guidewire system and method of pump installation using same

1. A method of positioning a blood pump in a mammalian vasculature, the vasculature including a heart having a heart wall and a heart chamber, a heart valve, and a portion of the vasculature extending from the heart valve away from the heart, comprising:

advancing a first cannula of the blood pump through an incision on the heart wall into the heart chamber, the blood pump including a pump housing and a second cannula;

positioning a tip of a guidewire into the portion of the vasculature, distal to the heart valve;

advancing the tip through the heart valve and into the heart chamber;

connecting the tip to the first cannula; and

pulling the blood pump with the guidewire to advance at least a portion of the first cannula through the heart valve and into the portion of the vasculature.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heart chamber is the left ventricle and the portion of the vasculature is a portion of the aorta extending from the aortic valve, wherein the incision formed during the advancing step is formed at an apex of the heart.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein positioning the tip of the guidewire into the portion of the vasculature distal to the heart valve includes positioning the tip of the guidewire into the femoral artery and advancing the tip through the vasculature of the patient to the aorta.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tip of the guidewire includes a first engagement feature and at least a portion of the first cannula includes a second engagement feature, and wherein connecting the tip to the first cannula includes connecting the first engagement feature to the second engagement feature.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first engagement feature includes a magnetic element and the second engagement feature includes an opposing magnetic element, and wherein connecting the tip to the first cannula includes advancing the tip to a position adjacent to the first cannula.

6. The method of claim 1 , further including disconnecting the tip from the blood pump by application of force on the guidewire in a distal direction away from the blood pump.

7. A method of positioning in a mammalian heart of a patient a blood pump including an inflow cannula, a pump housing, and an outflow cannula, the method comprising:

forming an incision on the heart wall;

passing the outflow cannula of the blood pump through the incision and into a left ventricle of the heart;

positioning a tip of a guidewire into an aorta, distal to an aortic valve;

connecting the tip to the outflow cannula; and

pulling the blood pump with the guidewire to advance at least a portion of the outflow cannula through the aortic valve and into the aorta.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein positioning the tip of the guidewire into the aorta includes positioning the tip of the guidewire into the femoral artery and advancing the tip through the vasculature of the patient to the aorta.

9. The method of claim 7 , further including securing the blood pump to an apex of the heart.

10. The method of claim 7 , further including securing the pump housing on the heart wall.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the tip of the guidewire includes a first engagement feature and at least a portion of the outflow cannula includes a second engagement feature, wherein connecting the tip to the outflow cannula includes connecting the first engagement feature to the second engagement feature.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first engagement feature includes a magnetic element and the second engagement feature includes an opposing magnetic element, and wherein connecting the tip to the outflow cannula further includes advancing the tip to a position adjacent to the outflow cannula.

13. The method of claim 7 , further including disconnecting the tip from the blood pump by application of force on the guidewire in a distal direction away from the blood pump.