US Patent 7144365 Implantable heart assist system and method of applying same

An extracardiac pumping for supplementing the circulation of blood, including the cardiac output, in a patient without any component thereof being connected to the patient's heart, and method of using same. One embodiment of the extracardiac system comprises a pump configured to be implanted subcutaneously in a minimally-invasive procedure, wherein the pump can draw blood through an inflow conduit, and can discharge blood through an outflow conduit. The pump may be operated continuously or in a pulsatile fashion, synchronous with the patient's heart, thereby potentially reducing the afterload of the heart. The conduits can be housed in a multi-lumen catheter.