Heart pump device and method for operating same

Abstract

A heart pump device may be provided with an implantable heart pump, which has at least one sensor, wherein at least one of the sensors is a sensor for a rotor of the heart pump, and with a control device, which is connected to the heart pump by means of a transcutaneous line, characterised by a signal processing device, which on the one hand is connected by means of the transcutaneous line to the control device, and which on the other hand is connected to at least one sensor of the heart pump and transmits signals of at least one sensor via the transcutaneous line to the control unit. The signal processing device may be for a pre-processing of the sensor data for more efficient transmission via the transcutaneous line.

1 . A heart pump device comprising: a control device and an implantable heart pump, the heart pump including at least one sensor, the at least one sensor including a pressure sensor and/or a pressure difference sensor,
 wherein the control device is connected to the heart pump by a transcutaneous or percutaneous line,   wherein a signal processing device is arranged directly on the heart pump, wherein the signal processing device is connected by the transcutaneous or percutaneous line to the control device, and the signal processing device is connected to the at least one sensor of the heart pump, wherein the signal processing device is configured to pre-process and digitalize a plurality of sensor signals of the at least one sensor and transmit the sensor signals to the control device.   
     
     
         2 . The heart pump device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor includes the pressure sensor, and the pressure sensor is provided at or near an inflow channel of the heart pump. 
     
     
         3 . The heart pump device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor includes the pressure sensor, and the pressure sensor is a micromechanical pressure sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The heart pump device according to  claim 1 , wherein the signal processing device is held mechanically in the heart pump. 
     
     
         5 . The heart pump device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor of the heart pump device comprises at least two sensors connected to the signal processing device. 
     
     
         6 . The heart pump device according to  claim 5 , wherein the at least two sensors includes pressure sensors, and wherein the signal processing device is configured to compute a mean of the respective sensor signals in a pre-processing of the sensor signals. 
     
     
         7 . The heart pump device according to  claim 1 , wherein the signal processing device is configured to store data for a calibration of the sensor signals, so that a calibrated and/or normalized pressure signal is transmitted by the signal processing device. 
     
     
         8 . The heart pump device according to  claim 1 , wherein the signal processing device includes at least one memory device for storing system parameters and/or measured values of the at least one sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The heart pump device according to  claim 1 , wherein the signal processing device includes a transceiver for a digital bus communication. 
     
     
         10 . The heart pump device according to  claim 1 , wherein the signal processing device includes at least one flexible printed circuit board arranged annularly around an inflow channel of the heart pump. 
     
     
         11 . The heart pump device according to  claim 1 , wherein a transmitting device is directly connected to the heart pump, and is configured to process the sensor signals of the at least one sensor and transmit the sensor signals by means of a wireless connection. 
     
     
         12 . The heart pump device according to  claim 1 , wherein the signal processing device includes a microcontroller. 
     
     
         13 . The heart pump device according to  claim 1 , wherein the transcutaneous or percutaneous line is configured to conduct a supply voltage. 
     
     
         14 . The heart pump device according to  claim 1 , wherein the signal processing device is arranged annularly around an inflow or outflow channel of the heart pump. 
     
     
         15 . The heart pump device according to  claim 1 , wherein the signal processing device is arranged on a flat housing base of the heart pump. 
     
     
         16 . The heart pump device according to  claim 1 , wherein the signal processing device includes a switching module, wherein the signal processing device is configured to process, in a first operating state, the sensor signals of the at least one sensor and is further configured to transmit the sensor signals to the control device, wherein the switching module is configured to transmit, in response to a fault of the signal processing device, the sensor signals of the at least one sensor in a second operating state directly via the transcutaneous or percutaneous line, with a bypassing of key parts of the signal processing device. 
     
     
         17 . The heart pump device according to  claim 1 , wherein the signal processing device is configured to process the sensor signals from the at least one sensor and a databus is configured to transmit the sensor signals according to a communication protocol. 
     
     
         18 . A method for operating a heart pump device, comprising a control device and an implantable heart pump,
 wherein the heart pump includes at least one sensor, the at least one sensor including a pressure sensor and/or a pressure difference sensor,   wherein the control device is connected to the heart pump,   wherein a signal processing device is arranged directly on the heart pump, wherein the signal processing device is connected by the transcutaneous or percutaneous line to the control device, and the signal processing device is connected to the at least one sensor of the heart pump, wherein the signal processing device is configured to pre-process and digitalize a plurality of sensor signals of the at least one sensor and transmit the sensor signals to the control device,   the method comprising: connecting the heart pump, together with the signal processing device, to the control device; and detecting and storing pump parameters in the signal processing device.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising processing signals from one or more sensors by the signal processing device and forwarding, by a communication protocol, via a databus.