Patent ID: 7458929

Claim:
An extracardiac pumping system for supplementing blood circulation through a patient without any component thereof being connected to the patient's heart, the extracardiac system comprising: a pump configured to pump blood through the patient at subcardiac volumetric rates, said pump having an average flow rate that, during normal operation thereof, is substantially below that of the patient's heart when healthy; a first conduit having a first distal end sized and configured to fluidly couple to a non-primary blood vessel, the first conduit also being fluidly coupled to the pump to conduct blood between the pump and the non-primary blood vessel; and a second conduit having a first distal end sized and configured to be positioned at least in part within the non-primary blood vessel and within the first conduit, the second conduit being fluidly coupled to the pump to conduct blood between the pump and the patient, the first conduit configured to permit the second conduit to sealably extend through a wall of said first conduit to form an internal lumen within the conduit; whereby the first conduit may be fluidly coupled to the blood vessel subcutaneously to permit application of the extracardiac pumping system in a minimally-invasive procedure through a single site.