A rotor driven linear flow blood pump (LFBP) which completely separates the driving motor from the pumped blood is used as a vascular assist device (VAD). Without the possible hazard of blood contamination, a brushless d. c. motor (BLDC) is ideal to drive and to control the LFBP. Thus we have the best of two worlds: For patient mobility, d. c. batteries are the best as a VAD energy source, and LFBP provides the most means at a physician's disposal for curing his patient with a severely damaged heart. A key to success in making the above possible is a new concept of surface affinity. Complete blood containment is made possible by using a material with zero surface affinity with blood as the bearing material throughout.
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