Device and method for connecting a blood pump without trapping air bubbles

Method for connecting cannulas (1700, 1720) to a cardiac circulatory support device (1000), the method comprising: connecting a disposable purging inlet device ("DIP") (1100a) and a DIP outlet device (1100b) to an inlet port and an outlet port, respectively, of a cardiac circulatory support device (1000) to form a support device / DIP device assembly (1102); purging the support device / DIP device assembly (1102) of entrapped air; occluding the input DIP device (1100a) and the output DIP device (1100b); inserting an outlet cannula (1700) into the inlet DIP device (1100a) and an inlet cannula (1720) into the outlet DIP device (1100b); purging air bubbles from each of the input DIP device (1100a) and the output DIP device (1100b); connecting the cannulas (1700, 1720) to the cardiac circulatory support device (1100b) to form a support device / DIP device / cannula assembly (2700); and removing the input DIP device (1100a) and the output DIP device (1100b) from the support device / DIP device / cannula assembly (2700); characterized in that the inlet and outlet DIP devices (1100a, 1100b) each comprise an inner semi-closed flexible ring (308) with a sufficient opening to allow partial insertion of one of the outlet cannula (1700) and the cannula of inlet (1720) into the disposable purge device (1100a, 1100b) when the outlet cannula (1700) is inserted into the inlet DIP device (1100a) and the inlet cannula (1720) into the outlet DIP device (1100b ), and that it is sufficiently tight around the surface of the cannula (1700, 1720) to seal it, allowing the DIP devices (1100a, 1100b), in addition, the insertion of the cannula (1700, 1720) in the disposable purge device (1100a , 1100b) until a connection is established in the connectors (2000, 2004), connecting the cannulas (1700, 1720) with the inlet and outlet ports, and because the DIP devices (1100a, 1100b) each comprise a stripping section (324) to allow removal of the DIP device (1100a, 1100b) from the support device / DIP device / cannula assembly (2700).