INTRAVASCULAR BLOOD PUMPS AND METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE
Devices for moving blood within a patient, and methods of doing so. The devices can include a pump portion that includes an impeller and a housing around the impeller, as well as a fluid lumen. The impeller can be activated to cause rotation of the impeller and thereby move fluid within the fluid lumen.
1 . (canceled)
2 . An intravascular blood pump, comprising:
an elongate shaft;
a collapsible housing extending distally from the elongate shaft and including an expandable blood conduit that defines a blood lumen between a proximal end and a distal end, the collapsible housing further including a proximal portion, a central portion that at least partially includes a helical arrangement of expandable member cells, and a distal portion, the proximal portion extending proximally beyond the proximal end of the fluid conduit, the distal portion extending distally beyond the distal end of the fluid conduit, the central portion being more flexible than the proximal portion and the distal portion; and
a collapsible impeller having an expanded configuration, a portion of the collapsible impeller being disposed outside of the fluid conduit while a remaining portion of the collapsible impeller is disposed in the fluid conduit.
3 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein the collapsible impeller is disposed in the proximal portion of the expandable housing, wherein the portion of the collapsible impeller disposed outside of the fluid conduit is proximal to the fluid conduit.
4 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein from 20% to 50% of the impeller, measured along an axial length of the impeller, is disposed outside of the fluid conduit.
5 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein from 20% to 45% of the impeller, measured along an axial length of the impeller, is disposed outside of the fluid conduit.
6 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein from 20% to 40% of the impeller, measured along an axial length of the impeller, is disposed outside of the fluid conduit.
7 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein about 20% of the impeller, measured along an axial length of the impeller, is disposed outside of the fluid conduit.
8 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein about 25% of the impeller, measured along an axial length of the impeller, is disposed outside of the fluid conduit.
9 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein about 30% of the impeller, measured along an axial length of the impeller, is disposed outside of the fluid conduit.
10 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein about 35% of the impeller, measured along an axial length of the impeller, is disposed outside of the fluid conduit.
11 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein about 40% of the impeller, measured along an axial length of the impeller, is disposed outside of the fluid conduit.
12 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein the impeller has a tapered proximal end region.
13 . The blood pump of claim 12 , wherein the tapered proximal end region is disposed at least partially within a flared proximal end of the fluid conduit.
14 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein the fluid conduit has a flared proximal end region.
15 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein the fluid conduit has a flared distal end region.
16 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein the impeller is disposed entirely within the expandable member.
17 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein the expandable member has a distal portion extending distally beyond the distal end of the fluid conduit.
18 . The blood pump of claim 16 , wherein the proximal portion of the expandable member tapers inward proximal to a proximal end of the impeller.
19 . The blood pump of claim 2 , wherein the proximal portion and the distal portion of the collapsible housing have a mostly axial configuration.