APEX gains US patent for heart pump sensor:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
APEX Medical has received a US patent for its flow-through blood pressure sensor, which, the company claims, will provide the enabling technology for next-generation rotary ventricular assist devices (VADs). The sensor enables VADs to self-regulate by using physiological inputs from the body to control the speed of the rotary pumps. The East Walpole, Massachusetts company says that current VADs rely on indirect control parameters, such as motor current, to regulate pump performance. APEX, which has completed initial animal tests on its sensor, says it is in talks with selected VAD manufacturers to incorporate the device in their heart pumps.