CPC A61M 60/531 (2021.01) [A61B 17/12181 (2013.01); A61M 60/13 (2021.01); A61M 60/178 (2021.01); A61M 60/216 (2021.01); A61M 60/546 (2021.01); A61M 60/833 (2021.01); A61M 60/867 (2021.01)] | 20 Claims |
1. An apparatus for use with a venous system of a subject that includes one or more tributary vessels that flow into a vein at junctions between the vein and the one or more tributary vessels, the apparatus comprising:
a blood-pump-catheter comprising:
a material configured to be placed at a downstream location that is downstream of the junctions and to at least partially occlude blood flow through the vein at the downstream location, the material defining a blood-outlet opening;
a blood pump that comprises an impeller that is disposed within a frame, the impeller being configured to pump blood from a region of the vein that is adjacent to the junctions, and through the blood-outlet opening defined by the material, by the impeller rotating within the frame;
a blood-flow pathway that passes between (a) a pathway-inlet opening disposed at an upstream location that is upstream of the junctions and (b) a pathway-outlet opening that opens to a downstream side of the material,
the blood-flow pathway being configured to direct upstream venous blood flow from the upstream location to downstream of the material, without the upstream venous blood flow being pumped by the pump.
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