Patent ID: 7381196

Claim:
A venous cannula comprising: an elongated flexible body member having a tubular wall having an exterior and defining a bore therein and having an intake end and a discharge end; a tip portion formed at said intake end and having a plurality of radial openings formed in said wall; a rigid helical support element embedded in said tubular wall and extending from said discharge end of said elongated body member to said tip portion; and a cage member bonded to the exterior of said wall proximal to said intake end and having a plurality of longitudinally stringers and a plurality of annular rings attached to an outer surface of said plurality of stringers, said cage member being disposed so that all of said plurality of radial openings in said tip portion are covered by said cage member and to maintain adjacent heart tissue walls spaced apart from said plurality of radial openings to permit free flow of blood between the bore and the exterior through said plurality of radial openings.