| abstract |
An elongated catheter for pumping blood through at least a portion of a being's vascular system. The catheter is of sufficiently small diameter and flexiblility to enable it to be passed through the vascular system so that the distal end portion of the catheter is located within or adjacent the being' heart. A rotatable pump is located at the distal end of the catheter and is rotated by drive means in the catheter. The distal end portion of the catheter includes an inlet for blood to flow therein and an outlet for blood to flow thereout. The catheter is arranged so that blood is pumped by the catheter's pump through the heart and into the vascular system without requiring any pumping action of the heart. |