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EP-4180085-B1 - A FLUID PUMP CHANGEABLE IN DIAMETER, IN PARTICULAR FOR MEDICAL APPLICATION

EP4180085B1EP 4180085 B1EP4180085 B1EP 4180085B1EP-4180085-B1

Inventors

  • LIEBING, REINER

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20100429

Claims (17)

  1. A fluid pump device changeable in diameter, with a pump housing (6) which is changeable in diameter, with a rotor (7) having at least one delivery element (13, 14) for the fluid, as well as with at least one actuation means (8) which may be moved in a longitudinal direction and at whose distal end a fluid pump (3) and at whose proximal end an actuation device is arranged, wherein the pump housing (6) and the rotor (7) are displaceable relative to one another by way of actuating the actuation means (8), characterised in that the pump housing (6) and the rotor (7) are displaceable relative to one another in the longitudinal direction of the actuation means (8) to such an extent, that they may be arranged behind one another in the longitudinal direction or with a mutual overlapping in the longitudinal direction, which is smaller than the overlapping during the operation of the fluid pump.
  2. A fluid pump device according to claim 1, characterised in that the actuation means (8) between the distal end and the proximal end at least in sections runs in a sleeve (4) or parallel to a sleeve.
  3. A fluid pump device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that a bearing arrangement (15) is arranged on the actuation means (8) or its extension, at the distal end of the actuation means (8) behind the rotor (7) seen from the actuation device.
  4. A fluid pump device according to claim 3, characterised in that the bearing arrangement (15) on the actuation means (8) or its extension is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of these.
  5. A fluid pump device according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the bearing arrangement (15) is displaceable relative to the rotor in the longitudinal direction of the actuation means (8).
  6. A fluid pump device according to claim 3, 4 or 5, characterised in that the actuation means (8) or its extension carries an abutment body (17), which on pulling back the actuation means in the direction of the actuation device, carries along the bearing arrangement (15).
  7. A fluid pump device according to claim 3, 4, 5 or 6, characterised in that the bearing arrangement (15) with the rotor (7) is movable into the inside of the pump housing (6), and that struts (20, 21) arranged in a star-like manner are provided, which elastically brace between a hub (18) of the bearing arrangement and the pump housing.
  8. A fluid pump device according to claim 7, characterised in that the struts (20, 21) are fastened on the hub (18) of the bearing arrangement (15) in an elastically pivotable manner.
  9. A fluid pump device according to claim 8, characterised in that between two and eight struts (20, 21) are provided.
  10. A fluid pump device according to claim 7, 8 or 9, characterised in that the struts (20, 21) in the braced condition form an inflow cage at the distal end of the fluid pump.
  11. A fluid pump device according to claim 1, or one of the following ones, characterised in that the actuation means (8) is displaceable with respect to the sleeve (4) in the longitudinal direction, in particular to the actuation device.
  12. A fluid pump device according to claim 1 or one of the following ones, characterised in that the actuation means is a drive shaft which is displaceable in its longitudinal direction.
  13. A fluid pump device according to claim 1 or one of the following ones, characterised in that the actuation device is part of a rotation drive.
  14. A fluid pump device according to claim 12 or 13, characterised in that the drive-side end of the drive shaft (8) is connected to a drive body (25) which is arranged in a sealed housing (24, 34) and which is magnetically rotationally drivable from outside the housing.
  15. A fluid pump device according to claim 14, characterised in that the drive body (25) is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the drive shaft (8) and on the cover-side is driven by a changing magnetic field.
  16. A fluid pump device according to claim 14, characterised in that the drive shaft (8) is firmly connected to a catch body (35) which for its part is guided in the drive body (25) in a rotationally fixed manner and in a manner displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the drive shaft (8).
  17. A non-therapeutical and non-surgical method for operation of a fluid pump device according to claim one or one of the following ones, characterised in that the fluid pump device is brought to a location of application in the compressed condition, that afterwards at least the pump housing (6) at least partly is expanded and that thereafter the pump housing and the rotor (7) are displaced relative to one another in the longitudinal direction of the actuation means (8) in a manner such that the rotor is received in the pump housing.

Description

The invention lies in the field of mechanics, in particular precision mechanics, and may be advantageously applied to the medical field. However, independently of the application in the medial sector, applications in other fields may be envisaged, where a fluid pump is to be operated under restricted spatial conditions or at poorly accessible locations. This is particularly the case with minimal-invasive medical technology, where often medical instruments or apparatus must be brought to the location of application, for example through blood vessels, with an as gentle as possible treatment of the patient. It is particularly in this context that the application of blood pumps in combination with catheters has become known, which for example may be introduced into a heart chamber whilst supporting the heart pumping activity. Since a certain size is necessary for an optimised performance of such a pump, which however is limited by the diameter of the large blood vessels of the body which end in the heart, it is already known to use fluid pumps which are changeable in their radius for this purpose, which may be expanded after introduction into the heart chamber. This is made possible either by way of special mechanisms, which permit an actuation of a spanning mechanism of the pump by way of a catheter, as is known for example from the US patent document US 2008/0103591 or WO 03/103745, or by way of the use of so-called memory materials, which may assume different shapes when changing the temperature of the surroundings, and may be brought into the desired end shape by way of temperature change. An alternative solution is known from US 7393181 B2, with which flexible rotor blades may be applied onto a hub and be reversibly deformable in a manner such that they are automatically set up on pump operation. However, tight limits are placed on the expansion ability of such pumps due to the necessity of accommodating a drive shaft as well as a rotor and pump housing within a small diameter. In this context, it is the object of the present invention to create a fluid pump, which with as little as possible design effort, permits an as simple and as large as possible changeability of the diameter. According to the invention, this object is achieved by the features of patent claim 1. Thereby, a pump housing which is changeable in diameter as well as, as the case may be, also a rotor changeable in diameter, is provided with at least one delivery element for the fluid, as well as an actuation means, in particular a pull means, at whose end which is distal seen from the introduction location of the catheter, the fluid pump is arranged. The actuation means is displaceable in a longitudinal direction. The pump housing and the rotor are displaceable relative to one another to such an extent in the longitudinal direction of the actuation means by way of the actuation means, that they may be arranged behind one another in the longitudinal direction, or with a mutual overlapping in the longitudinal direction, which is smaller than the overlapping during the operation of the fluid pump, in order to permit an efficient compression to a smaller diameter. This may be realised by way of either the pump housing or the rotor or both being displaceable with respect to the actuation means. In this context, the pump housing is to be understood as that in which the rotor is located and rotates, preferably without wall contact, during pump operation. Thus the rotor may be moved at least partly out of the pump housing for an efficient compression of the rotor. The compression movement of the pump housing is then not limited by the rotor, which is completely accommodated in it. One may also envisage the actuation means between the distal end and the proximal end at least in sections running in a sleeve or parallel to a sleeve. It is however also possible for the actuation means to run parallel to another guide means, for example a guide wire, and for no sleeve to be provided. The actuation means may for example be used as a pull means and be designed as a drive shaft, at whose proximal end a rotation drive for the pump is provided. The drive shaft in this case is rotatable and furthermore displaceable in the longitudinal direction. Apart from this embodiment, there is also the possibility of driving the pump by way of an implantable miniature motor which is arranged at the distal end of a sleeve or another guide means, and which is implantable into the body, or also a hydraulic microturbine. Instead of the drive shaft, the fluid pump then has its own actuation means, such as for example a cable or a wire or likewise, which displaces the rotor or other parts of the pump, in particular also pulls a bearing arrangement into the pump housing. Furthermore, in the first mentioned case, there is also the possibility of applying a more suitable pull means additionally to a drive shaft. This permits the drive shaft to be optimised with regard to the dema