Polymeric Rotor Pumps Blood Through Implant

An intracardiac blood pump designed to take over for the heart during bypass surgery will use a rotor made from a brand of PEEK (polyaryletherketone) from Victrex USA Inc. Designers chose the polymer for its biocompatibility and purity because the rotor will directly contact with blood. High-flow processibility gives PEEK rotor blades strength despite their thin walls. The rotor will turn at 30,000 rpm and pump 1.17 gallons/min. The pump, made by Impella Cariotechnik AG of Germany, will sit directly in the heart or just above the femoral artery and be implanted during surgery that doesn't need X-ray monitoring or require opening the chest cavity.