Axial Flow Blood Pump with Simplified Bearings

Advances in ventricular assist device (VAD) technology during the last decade have been largely limconcepts intended for the adult population. Options for mechanical support of pediatric patients witand especially those who are awaiting cardiac transplantation, are extremely limited. The primary licurrently available VADs for pediatric bridging-to-cardiac transplantation is the excessive size ofneeded that are specifically intended to meet the special size and hemodynamic requirements of the pthat end, Nimbus, Inc. and its development partner, the University of Pittsburgh, have capitalized oexperience in axial flow and centrifugal blood pump technology, use of VADs in the clinical setting,transplantation to design a prototype, miniaturized VAD suitable for implantation in pediatric ageddemonstrate via in vitro performance testing and in vivo implants the feasibility of this innovativebridge-to-transplant circulatory support. If ultimately successful, this pump would have commercialmarketed to hospitals in the United States and abroad. .