A pump for a fluid which can be blood has a stator housing and a rotor hub with leading and trailing portions and an intermediate portion disposed therebetween. At least one impeller blade at the leading portion drives circumferential and axial components of a flow into a pump annulus or intermediate pathway portion. At least one stator blade extends radially inward from the stator housing within the intermediate pathway portion and is configured to reduce a circumferential component of the flow.
