Heart pump

1. A heart pump including:

a) a housing forming a cavity including:

i) at least one inlet aligned with an axis of the cavity; and,

ii) at least one outlet provided in a circumferential outer wall of the cavity;

b) an impeller provided within the cavity, the impeller including vanes for urging fluid from the inlet to the outlet; and,

c) a drive for rotating the impeller in the cavity, wherein the outlet has a throat area of at least 60mm 2 and less than 300mm 2 and the pump at least one of:

i) has a performance curve having a gradient of less than −20% over a defined flow range such that a change in pressure of 10 mmHg across the pump causes a change in flow rate of at least 2LPM, the defined flow range being between 3LPM and 12LPM; and,

ii) generates a pressure head that is at least one of:

(1) between 60 mmHg and 100 mmHg at 6LPM for a pump that provides at least partial left ventricular function; and,

(2) between 10 mmHg and 30 mmHg at 6LPM for a pump that provides at least partial right ventricular function.

2. A heart pump according to claim 1 , wherein the heart pump is configured to provide at least partial left ventricular function.

3. A heart pump according to claim 2 , wherein the pump includes a magnetic bearing for controlling an axial position of the impeller within the cavity and wherein a change in an axial position of the impeller within the cavity controls in part a flow of fluid from the inlet to the outlet, and wherein a change in axial position of 200 μm causes at least one of:

a) a change in flow rate of at least 1LPM and less than 4LPM; and,

b) a change in flow pressure of at least 5 mmHg.

4. A heart pump according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet at least one of:

a) has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and a width to height aspect ratio of between 1:2 and 2:1; and,

b) defines a cutwater angle of between 0° and 70°.

5. A heart pump according to claim 1 , wherein the impeller has at least one of:

a) a vane height of at least 1.5 mm and less than 5 mm;

b) a vane inlet angle of between 60° and 90°; and,

c) a vane outlet angle of less than 90° and greater than 20°.

6. A heart pump according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:

a) primary vanes of the impeller have at least one of:

i) an inner diameter of at least 10 mm and less than 40 mm; and,

ii) an outer thickness of at least 5 mm and less than 20 mm;

b) secondary vanes of the impeller have an inner diameter of at least 20 mm and less than 40 mm;

c) an outer vane diameter of at least 20 mm and less than 60 mm;

d) an equal number of primary and secondary vanes; and,

e) at least three and less than six of each of the primary and secondary vanes.

7. A heart pump according to claim 1 , wherein in a region of an outlet volute the cavity has at least one of:

a) a base circle diameter of at least 40 mm and less than 100 mm; and,

b) an outer wall diameter of at least 50 mm and less than 100 mm.

8. A heart pump according to claim 7 , wherein over the defined flow range the volute generates a maximum radial force of less than 1.2N, and wherein the defined flow range is at least 5LPM to 8LPM.

9. A heart pump according to claim 1 , wherein the heart pump is configured to provide at least partial right ventricular function.

10. A heart pump according to claim 9 , wherein the pump includes a magnetic bearing for controlling an axial position of the impeller within the cavity and wherein a change in the axial position of the impeller within the cavity changes a flow of fluid from the inlet to the outlet, and wherein a change in axial position of 200 μm causes at least one of:

a) a change in flow rate of at least 0.2LPM and less than 2LPM; and,

b) a change in flow pressure of at least 1 mmHg.

11. A heart pump according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet at least one of:

a) has a throat area of at least 100mm 2 and less than 250mm 2 ;

b) has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and a width to height aspect ratio of between 1:3 and 1:1; and,

c) defines a cutwater angle that is between 0° and 180°.

12. A heart pump according to claim 1 , wherein the impeller has at least one of:

a) a vane height of at least 10 mm and less than 30 mm;

b) a vane inlet angle of greater than 60° and less than 115°; and,

c) a vane outlet angle of at least 60° and less than 115°.

13. A heart pump according to claim 1 , wherein:

a) primary vanes of the impeller have at least one of:

i) an inner diameter of at least 10 mm and less than 25 mm; and,

ii) a thickness of at least 0.5 mm and less than 3.0 mm;

b) secondary vanes of the impeller have an inner diameter of at least 10 mm and less than 25 mm;

c) an outer vane diameter of at least 15 mm and less than 40 mm;

d) an equal number of primary and secondary vanes; and,

e) between three and five primary vanes and between three and six secondary vanes.

14. A heart pump according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:

a) the inlet has a diameter of at least 10 mm and less than 30 mm; and,

b) the cavity has a diameter of at least 20 mm and less than 40 mm.

15. A heart pump according to claim 1 , wherein the impeller includes a rotor having at least one of:

a) a height of at least 5 mm and less than 15 mm; and,

b) an outer circumferential wall spaced from an inner cavity wall by an average distance of at least 2 mm and less than 8 mm.

16. A heart pump including:

a) a housing forming a cavity including:

i) at least one inlet aligned with an axis of the cavity; and,

ii) at least one outlet provided in a circumferential outer wall of the cavity;

b) an impeller provided within the cavity, the impeller including vanes for urging fluid from the inlet to the outlet; and,

c) a drive for rotating the impeller in the cavity, wherein the outlet has a throat area of at least 60mm 2 and less than 300mm 2 and over a defined flow range a maximum radial force on the impeller is less than 1.2N, and wherein the defined flow range is at least 5LPM to 8LPM.

17. A heart pump according to claim 16 , wherein the outlet at least one of:

a) has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and a width to height aspect ratio of between 1:2 and 2:1; and,

b) defines a cutwater angle of between 0° and 70°.

18. A heart pump according to claim 16 , wherein in a region of an outlet volute the cavity has at least one of:

a) a base circle diameter of at least 40 mm and less than 100 mm; and,

b) an outer wall diameter of at least 50 mm and less than 100 mm.

19. A heart pump according to claim 16 , wherein the housing includes a split volute.