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A low profile pump inlet for an implantable blood pump is disclosed. The low profile pump inlet has an inflow diffuser for attachment to a conduit bearing an inflow of a fluid such as blood and an outflow orifice in fluid connection with the diffuser. The outflow orifice is configured to direct the

A low profile pump inlet for an implantable blood pump is disclosed. The low profile pump inlet has an inflow diffuser for attachment to a conduit bearing an inflow of a fluid such as blood and an outflow orifice in fluid connection with the diffuser. The outflow orifice is configured to direct the fluid from the diffuser into a pump such as an implantable blood pump. The low profile pump inlet helps to suppress the effects of upstream pipe bends on the blood traveling through the inlet. The inlet thus provides a flow having a substantially uniform velocity profile into the blood pump.

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What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is: 1. A low profile pump inlet comprising an inflow diffuser and an outflow orifice, wherein the diffuser is defined by an open, unobstructed chamber having two intersecting arcuate channels in direct, continuous fluid conne

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is: 1. A low profile pump inlet comprising an inflow diffuser and an outflow orifice, wherein the diffuser is defined by an open, unobstructed chamber having two intersecting arcuate channels in direct, continuous fluid connection with the outflow orifice about an inner periphery of the intersecting arcuate channels, wherein the outflow orifice is configured to direct a fluid from the diffuser into a pump, and wherein the arcuate channels define a substantially cardioid flow path. 2. The low profile pump inlet of claim 1, wherein the arcuate channels are symmetrical. 3. The low profile pump inlet of claim 1, wherein the outflow orifice curves inwardly from the arcuate channels. 4. The low profile pump inlet of claim 1, wherein the outflow orifice is configured to direct the fluid from the diffuser into the pump at an angle from the original flow path of the fluid. 5. The low profile pump inlet of claim 1, wherein the outflow orifice is configured to direct the fluid into the pump at an angle substantially perpendicular to the original flow path of the fluid. 6. The low profile pump inlet of claim 1, wherein the outflow orifice is annular in shape. 7. The low profile pump inlet of claim 1, wherein the outflow orifice directs the fluid into the pump with a substantially uniform velocity. 8. The low profile pump inlet of claim 1, wherein the outflow orifice directs the fluid into the pump with a substantially uniform velocity independent of any flow patterns upstream of the pump inlet. 9. The low profile pump inlet of claim 1, wherein the inflow diffuser of the pump inlet is configured to direct the fluid into the outflow orifice such that the fluid enters the pump without vortex flow. 10. The low profile pump inlet of claim 1, wherein the inflow diffuser further comprises a tapered region for suppressing undesirable flow patterns in the fluid. 11. The low profile pump inlet of claim 10, wherein the tapered region is flattened. 12. The low profile pump inlet of claim 10, wherein the tapered region broadens the cross-sectional area of the inflow diffuser. 13. The low profile pump inlet of claim 10, wherein the tapered region is flattened and broadens the cross-sectional area of the inflow diffuser. 14. A low profile pump inlet for a blood pump, the inlet comprising an inlet base and an inlet cap such that when the base and the cap are joined together they jointly form an inflow diffuser, the diffuser being defined by an open, unobstructed chamber having two intersecting arcuate channels defining a substantially cardioid flow path, and an outflow orifice, wherein the arcuate channels are in substantially continuous fluid connection with the outflow orifice about an inner periphery of the intersecting arcuate channels, and wherein the outflow orifice is configured to direct the fluid from the diffuser into the blood pump. 15. The low profile pump inlet of claim 14, wherein the arcuate channels are symmetrical. 16. The low profile pump inlet of claim 14, wherein the outflow orifice curves inwardly from the arcuate channels. 17. The low profile pump inlet of claim 16, wherein the outflow orifice is configured to direct the fluid from the diffuser into the pump at an angle from the original flow path of the fluid. 18. The low profile pump inlet of claim 17, wherein the outflow orifice is configured to direct the fluid into the pump at an angle substantially perpendicular to the original flow path of the fluid. 19. The low profile pump inlet of claim 14, wherein the outflow orifice is annular in shape. 20. The low profile pump inlet of claim 14, wherein the outflow orifice directs the fluid into the pump with a substantially uniform velocity. 21. The low profile pump inlet of claim 20, wherein the outflow orifice directs the fluid into the pump with a substantially uniform velocity independent of any flow patterns upstream of the pump inlet. 22. The low profile pump inlet of claim 14, wherein the inflow diffuser of the pump inlet is configured to direct the fluid into the outflow orifice such that the fluid enters the pump without vortex flow. 23. The low profile pump inlet of claim 14, wherein the inflow diffuser further comprises a tapered region for suppressing undesirable flow patterns in the fluid. 24. The low profile pump inlet of claim 23, wherein the tapered region is flattened. 25. The low profile pump inlet of claim 23, wherein the tapered region broadens the cross-sectional area of the inflow diffuser. 26. The low profile pump inlet of claim 23, wherein the tapered region is flattened and broadens the cross-sectional area of the inflow diffuser. 27. A low profile pump inlet for directing a fluid into an implantable blood pump, the inlet comprising an inflow diffuser defined by an open, unobstructed chamber having two intersecting arcuate channels defining a substantially symmetrical cardioid flow path, and an outflow orifice, wherein the arcuate channels are in direct, continuous fluid connection with the outflow orifice about an inner periphery of the intersecting arcuate channels, and wherein the outflow orifice is configured to direct the fluid from the diffuser into the implantable blood pump at an angle substantially perpendicular to the original flow path of the fluid. 28. The low profile pump inlet of claim 27, wherein the outflow orifice is annular in shape. 29. The low profile pump inlet of claim 27, wherein the outflow orifice curves inwardly from the arcuate channels. 30. The low profile pump inlet of claim 27, wherein the outflow orifice directs the fluid into the implantable blood pump with a substantially uniform velocity. 31. The low profile pump inlet of claim 30, wherein the outflow orifice directs the fluid into the implantable blood pump with a substantially uniform velocity independent of any flow patterns upstream of the pump inlet. 32. The low profile pump inlet of claim 27, wherein the inflow diffuser of the pump inlet is configured to direct the fluid into the outflow orifice substantially without angular momentum such that the fluid enters the implantable blood pump without a vortex flow. 33. The low profile pump inlet of claim 27, wherein the inflow diffuser further comprises a tapered region for suppressing undesirable flow patterns in the fluid. 34. The low profile pump inlet of claim 33, wherein the tapered region is flattened. 35. The low profile pump inlet of claim 33, wherein the tapered region broadens the cross-sectional area of the inflow diffuser. 36. The low profile pump inlet of claim 33, wherein the tapered region is flattened and broadens the cross-sectional area of the inflow diffuser. 37. A low profile pump inlet for an implantable blood pump comprising: an inflow tube; an inflow diffuser attached to the inflow tube, the inflow diffuser comprising an inlet cap and an inlet base which together form a tube of gradually flattening and widening geometry; wherein the diffuser is defined by an open, unobstructed chamber having a fluid flow path attached to the inflow diffuser; and an outflow orifice; wherein the fluid flow path radiates from the inflow diffuser about the outflow orifice; and wherein the fluid flow path defines a substantially cardioid flow path. 38. The low profile pump inlet of claim 37, wherein the low profile pump inlet is composed of two halves which sealably join to cooperatively define the inflow tube, inflow diffuser, fluid flow path, and outflow orifice. 39. The low profile pump inlet of claim 37, wherein the fluid flow path is composed of two arcuate channels radiating from the inflow diffuser about the outflow orifice and uniting at a cusp. 40. The low profile pump inlet of claim 39, wherein the arcuate channels are symmetrical. 41. The low profile pump inlet of claim 37, wherein the outflow orifice is annular in shape. 42. A low profile pump inlet for directing a fluid, the pump inlet comprising: a tubular inlet for receiving the fluid; a tapered region in fluid connection with the tubular inlet; a diffuser defined by an open, unobstructed chamber having a pair of intersecting arcuate channels extending from the tapered region and intersecting; and an outflow orifice in direct, unobstructed, continuous fluid connection with the arcuate channels about an inner periphery of the intersecting arcuate channels; wherein the arcuate channels define a substantially cardioid flow path. 43. The low profile pump inlet of claim 42, wherein the tapered region is flattened to suppress undesirable flow patterns in the fluid. 44. The low profile pump inlet of claim 42 wherein the tapered region broadens the cross-sectional area of the tubular inlet. 45. The low profile pump inlet of claim 42, wherein the tapered region is flattened and broadens the cross-sectional area of the tubular inlet. 46. The low profile pump inlet of claim 42, wherein the arcuate channels are symmetrical. 47. The low profile pump inlet of claim 42, wherein the outflow orifice is configured to direct the fluid outwardly at an angle substantially perpendicular to the original flow path of the fluid. 48. The low profile pump inlet of claim 42, wherein the outflow orifice is annular in shape.