A unique, efficient, implantable, electromechanical, total artificial heart.
A completely implantable, one piece electromechanical total artificial heart (TAH) intended for permanent human use was developed. It consisted of left and right conically shaped pusher-plate blood pumps sandwiching a thin centerpiece with a compact, efficient electromechanical actuator. The actuator consisted of a direct current brushless motor; a planetary roller screw fit the space between the two conically shaped pusher-plates. The rotational motion of the motor was converted to the rectilinear motion of the rollerscrew to displace the left and right pusher-plates in the left master alternate mode. The diameter of the assembled TAH was 97 mm, with a central thickness of 82 mm. The overall weight was 620 g, with a displaced volume of 510 ml. The pump provided flows of 3-8 L/min with a preload of 1-15 mmHg against an afterload of 100 mmHg. The net efficiency ranged from 15% to 18%. This model showed good fit in the pericardial space of heart transplant recipients (body weight, 77 kg).
Takatani
S
S
Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030.
Shiono
M
M
Sasaki
T
T
Sakuma
I
I
Glueck
J
J
Sekela
M
M
Noon
G
G
Nose
Y
Y
DeBakey
M
M
D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D006354:Heart, Artificial; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D011474:Prosthesis Design