POWER GENERATOR FOR USE IN LEFT VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICE (LVAD) AND TOTAL ARTIFICIAL HEART (TAH) AND RELATED METHODS

摘要

Various embodiments of a medical device for displacing a bodily fluid inside a patient's body and the related methods are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the medical device may include a source heat exchanger containing a heat generating in source and being configured to transfer heat from the heat generating source to a working fluid. The medical device also includes a hollow shaft comprising a plurality of permanent magnets, an impeller shroud disposed inside the hollow shaft, where the impeller shroud defines an internal passageway through which the bodily fluid passes through. The medical device further includes an impeller disposed inside the internal passageway of the impeller shroud, where the impeller is magnetically coupled to the permanent magnets of the hollow shaft. The medical device includes an expander comprising a rotary component mechanically coupled to the hollow shaft, where the expander being driven by the working fluid flowing from the source heat exchanger to rotate the hollow shaft. Rotation of the hollow shaft generates a rotary magnetic field in the hollow shaft to cause the impeller to rotate and displace the bodily fluid flowing through the internal passageway.