| abstract |
Methods for using blood pumps to treat heart failure are disclosed. The pump is mounted on an interior of a stent, and the stent is releasably mounted on a distal end of a catheter. The distal end of the catheter is inserted into a peripheral artery and advanced to position at a region of interest within the descending aorta, the ascending aorta, or the left ventricle. The stent and the pump are released from the catheter, and the pump is activated to increase blood flow downstream of the pump. The pump can also be positioned in the vena cava or used to treat right-sided heart failure following the insertion of an LVAD, or to improve venous return in patients with varicose veins. Non-stent pumps are described for insertion between the pulmonary vein and aorta, and between the vena cava and pulmonary artery designed for use during cardiac surgery. |