INTRAVASCULAR BLOOD PUMPS AND METHODS OF USE
Catheter blood pumps that include a collapsible blood conduit, a collapsible scaffold portion, and a bend formed in the collapsible scaffold. The collapsible blood conduit defines a blood lumen. The collapsible scaffold is adapted to provide radial support to the blood conduit. The blood pump also includes one or more impellers.
1 . A catheter blood pump comprising:
a pump portion that includes:
a collapsible blood conduit configured to be collapsible within a delivery device and expandable to an expanded configuration when deployed from the delivery device, the expanded configuration of the collapsible blood conduit including a blood conduit bend between a blood conduit proximal end and a blood conduit distal end,
the collapsible blood conduit including a collapsible scaffold adapted to provide radial support to the collapsible blood conduit, the blood conduit bend including a scaffold bend between a scaffold proximal end and a scaffold distal end; and
one or more collapsible impellers at least partially disposed within the collapsible scaffold.
2 . The blood pump of claim 1 , wherein the collapsible blood conduit includes a central section that includes the blood conduit bend and the scaffold bend.
3 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein the central section includes a midpoint of the scaffold between the scaffold distal and proximal ends.
4 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein a distal section of the blood conduit that is distal to the central section is radially stiffer than the central section.
5 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein a proximal section of the blood conduit that is proximal to the central section is radially stiffer than the central section.
6 . The blood pump of claim 1 , further comprising a collapsible impeller proximal to the blood conduit bend.
7 . The blood pump of claim 1 , further comprising a collapsible impeller proximal to the blood conduit bend.
8 . The blood pump of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold bend includes a bend in a plurality of helical scaffold sections.
9 . A catheter blood pump comprising:
a pump portion that includes
a collapsible blood conduit configured to be collapsible within a delivery device and expandable to an expanded configuration when deployed from the delivery device, the blood conduit including a bend between a blood conduit proximal end and a blood conduit distal end such that a proximal portion of the collapsible blood conduit is not co-axial with a distal portion of the blood conduit,
the collapsible blood conduit including a collapsible scaffold adapted to provide radial support to the collapsible blood conduit, the collapsible scaffold extending through the bend in the collapsible blood conduit; and
one or more collapsible impellers at least partially disposed within the collapsible scaffold.
10 - 11 . (canceled)
12 . A method of making a pump portion of the catheter blood pump, the method comprising:
forming a collapsible scaffold that has a configuration adapted to provide radial support to a blood conduit of the pump portion;
deforming the scaffold from a first configuration to a bent configuration that includes a bend between a scaffold distal end and a scaffold proximal end;
setting the collapsible scaffold in a bent configuration such that the bend is maintained in the scaffold.
13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising positioning one or collapsible impellers within the collapsible scaffold when it is in the bent configuration.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein forming the collapsible scaffold comprising laser cutting the scaffold from a tubular member, such as a nitinol tube.
15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein deforming the scaffold comprising bending the formed scaffold and positioning it in a curved region in a bend forming tool.
16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein setting the scaffold comprises heat setting the collapsible scaffold in the bent configuration.
17 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising applying a membrane to the scaffold.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein applying the membrane comprises applying the membrane when the scaffold is in the set bent configuration.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein applying the membrane comprises applying the membrane when the scaffold is in a straightened, non-bent configuration.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein applying the membrane comprises applying the membrane when the scaffold is not in a set configuration.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein applying the membrane comprises applying the membrane to the scaffold when scaffold has less of a bend than in the set configuration.
22 - 42 . (canceled)