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A medical device, such as an intra-aortic balloon pump or carrier with an extendable wheel track and handle configured to be removably carried and integrated with a cart. The wheel track is configured to extend upon extension of the handle and to return to its original position upon retraction of th

A medical device, such as an intra-aortic balloon pump or carrier with an extendable wheel track and handle configured to be removably carried and integrated with a cart. The wheel track is configured to extend upon extension of the handle and to return to its original position upon retraction of the handle.

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1. An intra-aortic balloon pump configured for tilted wheel transport, comprising: a frame, a pump comprising a pump body, the pump disposed within the frame, a display device associated with the pump, a control unit configured to control the pump, a handle assembly connected to the frame and compri

1. An intra-aortic balloon pump configured for tilted wheel transport, comprising: a frame, a pump comprising a pump body, the pump disposed within the frame, a display device associated with the pump, a control unit configured to control the pump, a handle assembly connected to the frame and comprising a handle grip, and a wheel assembly connected to the frame, wherein the wheel assembly comprises a first and second wheel, each movable linearly between (i) a retracted position defining a first wheel track in which the wheels are spaced apart a predetermined distance and orientation, and (ii) an extended position defining a second wheel track larger than the first wheel track in which the wheels are spaced apart a distance greater than the predetermined distance yet have essentially the same predetermined orientation;wherein linear movement of the wheels from the retracted position to the extended position is manually controlled by linear movement of at least a portion of the handle assembly from a first position to a second position, the second position spaced apart from the first position and wherein the first and second wheels are located towards a vertical side of the pump body and to accommodate tilted wheel support to the pump body along a horizontal and flat surface when the pump body is maintained in a tilted orientation with respect to the horizontal and flat surface and gripped at the handle grip by a user. 2. The intra-aortic balloon pump according to claim 1, wherein the handle assembly includes a plurality of telescoping members. 3. The intra-aortic balloon pump according to claim 1, wherein each of the first wheel and second wheel is connected to a separate axle. 4. The intra-aortic balloon pump according to claim 1, wherein the frame has a bottom surface for resting on a ground surface, and an axis of one or both of the first and second wheel is located at an elevation higher than the frame's bottom surface. 5. The intra-aortic balloon pump according to claim 4, wherein the bottom of each of the first and second wheel is located at an elevation higher than the bottom surface of the frame yet lower than the elevation of the axis of one or both of the first and second wheel. 6. The intra-aortic balloon pump according to claim 1, wherein the first and second wheels are the only wheels used for providing wheeled support to the body in both the extended and retracted positions when the body is maintained in the tilted orientation with respect to the horizontal and flat surface and gripped at the handle grip by the user. 7. A method for enhancing the stability of an intra-aortic balloon pump during transport, the intra-aortic balloon pump comprising a frame, a pump disposed within the frame, a control unit configured to control the pump, a handle assembly connected to the frame, and a wheel assembly connected to the frame and to the handle assembly, the wheel assembly provides for an adjustable wheel track and comprises a first wheel and a second wheel, each movable linearly, the method comprising the step of: moving the first wheel and the second wheel from (i) a retracted position defining a first wheel track in which the wheels are spaced apart a predetermined distance, to (ii) an extended position defining a second wheel track larger than the first in which the wheels are spaced apart a distance greater than the predetermined distance,wherein linear movement of the wheels from the retracted position to the extended position is manually controlled by linear movement of the handle assembly. 8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of moving at least a portion of the handle assembly from a first position to a second position spaced apart from the first position so as to trigger the movement of the wheels from the retracted position to the extended position. 9. A modular portable intra-aortic balloon pump, comprising: (a) a wheeled cart with at least one caster for rolling on a ground surface, and(b) a pump unit, the pump unit comprising a frame, a pump disposed within the frame, a display device in electronic communication with the pump unit, a control unit configured to control the pump, a wheel assembly connected to the frame, wherein the wheel assembly comprises a first and second wheel, each manually movable between (i) a retracted position defining a first wheel track in which the wheels are spaced apart a predetermined distance and (ii) an extended position defining a second wheel track larger than the first wheel track in which the wheels are spaced apart a distance greater than the predetermined distance, wherein the first and second wheels are configured to provide wheeled support to the pump unit along a horizontal and flat ground surface in both the extended and retracted positions when the pump unit is in a tilted orientation with respect to the horizontal and flat ground surface, wherein the first wheel and the second wheel in the first position sharing a common axis with the first wheel and the second wheel in the second position, the common axis having an orientation that is fixed with respect to the frame and the axels of the first and second wheels extend from the wheels to the frame and are connected to the frame,wherein the wheeled cart is configured with a cavity to removably and securely house and transport the pump unit and the wheel assembly such that the pump unit is elevated at a fixed height with respect to the ground surface when at least partially enclosed by the cavity, wherein the wheeled cart is further configured to transport the pump unit using the at least one caster but without use of the first and second wheels, and wherein the pump unit is also transportable independently in the tilted orientation via the first and second wheels when removed from the cavity of the wheeled cart. 10. The modular portable intra-aortic balloon pump according to claim 9, wherein the cavity of the cart has a cavity entrance and one or more sidewalls, and the pump unit is configured to be removably received into the cavity through the cavity entrance such that the pump unit while received within the cavity either (i) makes contact with at least one of the one or more sidewalls of the cavity, (ii) is adjacent to at least one of the one or more sidewalls of the cavity, or (iii) makes contact with and is adjacent to at least one of the one of the one or more sidewalls of the cavity. 11. The modular portable intra-aortic balloon pump according to claim 10, wherein the pump unit cannot fit through the cavity entrance when the first and second wheels are each in the extended position. 12. The modular portable intra-aortic balloon pump according to claim 10, wherein the cavity entrance is configured to allow at least partial insertion and removal of the pump unit horizontally into and out of the cavity, and wherein a release mechanism having a release actuator on at least one of the cart or pump unit is configured to establish releasable securement of the pump unit with respect to the cavity. 13. The modular portable intra-aortic balloon pump of claim 9, further comprising a handle assembly connected to the pump unit and configured to telescopically move between a first handle position and a second handle position, wherein movement of the handle assembly from the first position towards the second position causes relative movement of the first wheel towards and second wheel. 14. An intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) system, comprising: an IABP pump unit comprising a frame, a handle assembly comprising a handle, a pump disposed within the frame, a control unit configured to control the pump, a display device in electronic communication with the IABP, and a wheel assembly connected to the frame and operatively associated with the handle assembly,wherein the wheel assembly of the IABP pump unit comprises a first and second wheel, each comprising an axel and an a respective axis having a fixed orientation with respect to the frame and movable between (i) a retracted position defining a first wheel track in which the wheels are spaced apart a predetermined distance and (ii) an extended position defining a second wheel track larger than the first wheel track in which the wheels are spaced apart a distance greater than the predetermined distance, the first and second wheels moving along their respective axis when alternating from the retracted position to the extended position; anda wheeled cart, wherein the IABP pump unit is removably mountable to the cart, and wherein movement of the first and second wheels from the retracted position to the extended position is manually controlled by linear movement of at least a portion of the handle assembly from a first position to a second position, wherein the entirety of the handle in the second position is spaced apart from the entirety of the handle in its corresponding first position. 15. The intra-aortic balloon pump system of claim 14, wherein the cart is configured to removably and securely house and transport the IABP pump unit using at least one caster connected to the cart but without use of the first and second wheels, and wherein the IABP pump unit is also transportable independent from the cart via the first and second wheels when the IABP pump unit is removed from the cart. 16. The intra-aortic balloon pump system of claim 14, wherein the cart comprises a first power source used to power the IABP pump unit when the IABP pump unit is mounted on or in the cart, the IABP pump unit comprising a second power source used to power the IABP pump unit when the IABP pump unit is (i) removed from the cart or (ii) when the IABP pump unit is on or in the cart but the first power source is not functional. 17. The intra-aortic balloon pump system of claim 16, further comprising a third power source on the IABP pump unit, both the second power source and the third power source capable of powering the IABP pump unit independently when the IABP pump unit is removed from the cart. 18. The intra-aortic balloon pump system of claim 14, wherein the cart has a cavity comprising a bottom surface and one or more sidewalls extending vertically from the bottom surface, wherein the cavity is configured to receive with minimal clearance and at least partially encase the IABP pump unit through horizontal movement of the IABP pump unit into and out of the cavity. 19. The intra-aortic balloon pump system of claim 14, wherein the IABP pump unit has a first side shorter than two sides adjacent the first side, and wherein the first and second wheel of the IABP pump unit are mounted such that an axis of one of the first and second wheels is generally parallel to the first side and is at an elevation higher than an underside of the IABP pump unit. 20. The intra-aortic balloon pump system of claim 14, wherein the IABP pump unit has a front, a back, a top, a bottom, and two sides, the two sides have a horizontal width that is larger than the width of the back, wherein the common axis of the wheel assembly is located towards or at the bottom of the body and either adjacent to or in the proximity of the back, and wherein the first and second wheels are the only wheels directly connected to the IABP pump unit. 21. The intra-aortic balloon pump according to claim 14, wherein the frame has a bottom surface for resting on a ground surface, and an axis of one or both of the first and second wheel is located at an elevation higher than the frame's bottom surface. 22. A carrier configured for tilted wheel transport, comprising: a frame;a handle assembly connected to the frame and comprising a moveable handle grip; anda wheel assembly connected to the frame, wherein the wheel assembly comprises a first wheel and a second wheel, wherein each wheel is movable linearly between a retracted position defining a first wheel track in which the first and second wheels are spaced apart a predetermined distance and orientation, and an extended position defining a second wheel track larger than the first wheel track in which the wheels are spaced apart a distance greater than the predetermined distance yet have essentially the same predetermined orientation;wherein linear movement of the wheels from the retracted position to the extended position is manually controlled by linear movement of the handle grip from a first position to a second position, wherein the second position is linearly spaced apart from the first position and wherein the first wheel and the second wheel are located towards a vertical side of the frame and to accommodate tilted wheel support of the frame along a horizontal and flat surface when the frame is maintained in a tilted orientation with respect to the horizontal and flat surface and gripped at the handle grip by a user. 23. A cart comprising: an outer surface; a cavity disposed within the outer surface and comprising a bottom surface and one or more sidewalls extending vertically from the bottom surface; and a wheel arrangement coupled to the outer surface, wherein the cavity is dimensioned to receive the carrier of claim 22 so that the first wheel and the second wheel are contained within the carrier in the retracted position when the carrier is received by the cavity. 24. A method for enhancing the stability of a carrier for tilted wheel transport comprising a frame, a handle assembly connected to the frame and comprising a moveable handle grip, and a wheel assembly connected to the frame and to the handle assembly, the wheel assembly provides for an adjustable wheel track, wherein the wheel assembly comprises a first wheel and a second wheel, wherein each wheel is movable linearly between a retracted position defining a first wheel track in which the first and second wheels are spaced apart a predetermined distance and orientation, and an extended position defining a second wheel track larger than the first wheel track in which the wheels are spaced apart a distance greater than the predetermined distance and have essentially the same predetermined linear orientation; the method comprising the step of: moving the first wheel and the second wheel from (i) a retracted position defining a first wheel track in which the wheels are spaced apart a predetermined distance, to (ii) an extended position defining a second wheel track larger than the first in which the wheels are spaced apart a distance greater than the predetermined distance, andtilting the carrier onto the first wheel and the second wheel,wherein linear movement of the wheels from the retracted position to the extended position is manually controlled by linear movement of the handle grip from a first position to a second position, wherein the second position is linearly spaced apart from the first position, andwherein the first wheel and the second wheel are located towards a vertical side of the frame and to accommodate tilted wheel support of the frame along a horizontal and flat surface when the frame is maintained in a tilted orientation with respect to the horizontal and flat surface and gripped at the handle grip by a user. 25. The intra-aortic balloon pump system of claim 18, wherein the IABP pump unit comprises an internal helium reservoir disposed to supply helium gas to a pneumatic isolator, and the cart comprises a helium recharge tank that is connectable to replenish the internal helium reservoir with helium.