title: Progress in Cleveland Clinic-Nimbus total artificial heart development.
abstract: A totally implantable, Cleveland Clinic-Nimbus total artificial heart (TAH) uses electrohydraulic energy conversion and an automatic left master-alternate mode control scheme, with a filling sensitivity of 1.0 l/min/mmHg and a maximum output of 9.5 l/min. The TAHs were tested in 12 calves for 1-120 days with normal major organ and blood cell function. Post-operative suppression of platelet aggregation recovered by the second post-operative week. The gelatin-coated pump surface generally was clean without any anticoagulants and free from infection. Embolism, which occurred in two cases, was caused by complications attributable to fungal infection in a Dacron graft and by thrombus formed around a jugular vein catheter. A system with a hybridized microcircuit controller in the interventricular space has been tested successfully in the three most recent cases, with a peak device surface temperature elevation of 6.5 degrees C. Heat effects were confined to the tissues immediately adjacent to the hottest spots. The carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy housing and 60 ml butyl rubber compliance chamber showed good tissue compatibility with a thin, fibrous tissue capsule. The transcutaneous energy transmission system and the internal battery functioned well as designed in the most recent animal implant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Harasaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukamachi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Massiello
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Himley
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fukumura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muramoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wika
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001698:Biomedical Engineering; D002302:Cardiac Output; D002417:Cattle; D004617:Embolism / Q000209:etiology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006354:Heart, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D009181:Mycoses / Q000209:etiology