Guidable intravascular blood pump and related methods

Abstract

An improved intravascular blood pump and related methods involving the broad inventive concept of equipping the intravascular blood pump with guiding features such that the intravascular blood pump can be selectively positioned at a predetermined location within the circulatory system of a patient.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An intravascular blood pump system comprising:
 a pump assembly;   a conduit assembly that is selectively engageable with the pump assembly; and   a perfusion assembly that is selectively coupleable with the conduit assembly, wherein when the perfusion assembly is coupled to the conduit assembly the perfusion assembly is operable to perfuse a patient with blood flowing through the conduit assembly.   
     
     
         3 . The intravascular blood pump system of  claim 2 , wherein the perfusion assembly includes a seal disposed to prevent migration of blood out of a proximal end of the perfusion assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The intravascular blood pump system of  claim 3 , wherein the seal is a Touehy-Borst hemostasis seal. 
     
     
         5 . The intravascular blood pump system of  claim 4 , wherein a drive cable that is connected to a pump of the pump assembly extends through the conduit assembly and exits through the Touehy-Borst hemostasis seal. 
     
     
         6 . The intravascular blood pump system of  claim 5 , further comprising: a motor assembly operably connected to the drive cable so as to drive the pump of the pump assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The intravascular blood pump system of  claim 2 , wherein the perfusion assembly is selectively coupleable with the conduit assembly via a male quick-connect coupling that selectively couples with a female quick-connect coupling. 
     
     
         8 . The intravascular blood pump system of  claim 7 , wherein the perfusion assembly includes a hemostasis valve coupled to the female quick-connect coupling. 
     
     
         9 . The intravascular blood pump system of  claim 2 , wherein the perfusion assembly includes a hemostasis valve disposed at a location where the perfusion assembly is selectively coupleable with the conduit assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The intravascular blood pump system of  claim 5 , wherein the perfusion assembly has a central lumen and the drive cable is disposed in the central lumen. 
     
     
         11 . The intravascular blood pump system of  claim 10 , wherein a side-port is disposed in fluid communication with the central lumen of the perfusion assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The intravascular blood pump system of  claim 11 , wherein the central lumen of the perfusion assembly is in fluid communication with the conduit assembly when the perfusion assembly is coupled to the conduit assembly, and the side-port is equipped with a stop-cock that provides selective control of distribution of blood through a perfusion conduit. 
     
     
         13 . The intravascular blood pump system of  claim 11 , wherein the central lumen of the perfusion assembly is in fluid communication with the conduit assembly when the perfusion assembly is coupled to the conduit assembly, and the side-port is equipped with control circuitry that provides selective control of distribution of blood through a perfusion conduit.