Thorsten Siess - Thorsten Siess, Impella heart pump inventor, testing the heart pump device
Photo: Johnson & JohnsonSource · Source-linked editorial identification
Medical & Dental

Thorsten Siess

Impella catheter-based heart pump

GermanyEvidence: high confidenceChecked July 2026

Third-party image used for identification in nonprofit educational commentary; rights remain with Johnson & Johnson.

Who is Thorsten Siess?

Thorsten Siess is an inventor associated with Germany. Their documented work in medical & dental includes Impella catheter-based heart pump, the contribution at the center of this evidence-backed profile.

Thorsten Siess invented the prototype for the Impella catheter-based heart pump, placing a miniature electric motor and turbine-like pump in the catheter rather than relying on an external motor and drive cable. Johnson & Johnson reports that the platform has treated more than 400,000 people, while Abiomed lists Siess in current leadership.

Known forImpella catheter-based heart pump
FieldMedical & Dental
Associated withGermany
Evidence reviewed2 sources
01

What did Thorsten Siess invent?

Invented the prototype for the Impella miniature intravascular heart pump and co-founded the company that developed it.

02

What did Thorsten Siess accomplish?

Impella made a catheter-delivered mechanical circulatory-support pump a durable clinical platform, with more than 400,000 people treated by 2024.

03

What is known about Thorsten Siess today?

Abiomed's current leadership page lists Siess, and a 2024 Johnson & Johnson account documents his ongoing role in the platform's development.

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