Patent ID: 7988655

Claim:
A catheter pump comprising: a catheter comprising: a catheter wall bounding a channel inside said catheter; a distal end portion; a proximal end portion, said proximal end portion communicating with said distal end portion via said channel; at least one inlet passage in said wall; and at least one outlet passage for allowing fluid to flow out of said channel, said outlet passage being located distally from and spaced from said inlet passage; and a displacement structure dimensioned and configured for, while in operation, alternatingly applying suction and pressure for cyclically driving fluid displacement through said channel in a direction away from said distal end portion towards said proximal end portion and in a direction away from said proximal end portion towards said distal end portion, said catheter projecting distally from said displacement structure and said channel communicating with said displacement structure; wherein, at least in operating condition, said at least one inlet passage is continuously open, and wherein the channel, the inlet passage and the outlet passage are arranged such that over a complete cycle of the fluid displacement in said channel towards and away from said proximal end portion, a net displacement of blood from the inlet through the channel to the outlet is obtained; the distal end portion of the catheter being dimensioned and configured to extend into a patient's heart or into an artery of a patient; and the inlet passage and the outlet passage being inlet and outlet passages of a single lumen.