Circulatory support system

摘要

A control unit for use in a circulatory support system to supplement or temporarily replace the pumping function of a patient's heart, the support system including a blood flow pump, inlet and outlet cannulas coupled to the flow pump for insertion within the patient, an air bubble detector, and a cannula clamp, each coupled to one of the cannulas, the control unit comprises circuitry for supplying power to the flow pump to cause the pump to rotate; circuitry responsive to a bubble sense signal provided by the bubble detector, for generating a bubble alarm and for causing rotation of the pump to cease if the bubble sense signal indicates the presence of an air bubble; and circuitry responsive to the bubble sense signal indicating the presence of an air bubble for causing the cannula clamp to clamp down on the respective cannula to prevent air from entering the patient's bloodstream.