Pulsatile operation of a centrifugal ventricular assist device with magnetic bearings.
A prototype bench top model of a continuous flow ventricular assist device using an impeller suspended by magnetic bearings has been developed. Generation of a pulsatile pressure was studied using both a computer model and in vitro loop tests of the prototype. The motivation for developing a computer model for a blood pump in the natural circulation is two-fold. First, it allows simulation of the pump under a large variety of operating conditions. Second, it provides insight into what parameters of the system design are important for achieving a specific result. For example, in one case, an aortic pressure of 118/87 mmHg was generated by varying the speed from 2,000 to 2,600 rpm. The computer model was verified by coupling the centrifugal pump prototype to a mock circulatory system. The results of the model were verified by generating an aortic pressure of 113/78 mmHg while varying the speed from 2,000 to 2,600 rpm. These experiments have shown that it is possible to generate pulsatile pressure similar to that of native physiology using a centrifugal left ventricular assist device. Further tests will be required to quantify the effects on hemolysis.
Bearnson
G B
GB
University of Utah Artificial Heart Research Laboratory, Salt Lake City 84103, USA.
Olsen
D B
DB
Khanwilkar
P S
PS
Long
J W
JW
Allaire
P E
PE
Maslen
E H
EH
D001698:Biomedical Engineering; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004867:Equipment Design; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008280:Magnetics; D011673:Pulsatile Flow