MagScrew TAH: an update.
The MagScrew Total Artificial Heart (TAH) system is the result of a close collaboration among the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Foster Miller Technologies, Wilson Greatbatch Ltd, and Whalen Biomedical Inc. The system components are the thoracic blood pumping unit with attached compliance chamber and refill port, implantable electronic control unit, implantable battery pack, transcutaneous energy transmission system, external battery pack, and a telemetry system for communication with the electronic control unit. System in vitro tests are underway for system characterization and durability demonstration, whereas in vivo tests were conducted to evaluate system performance and biocompatibility under physiologic conditions. The passively filling pump uses a left master alternate left and right ejection control mode and has a Starling law-like response to venous pressure. The in vitro tests documented excellent hydraulic pump performance with high device output of over 9 l/min at left atrial pressures below 12 mm Hg. Atrial balance was well maintained under all test conditions. The in vivo tests demonstrated good biocompatibility without use of anticoagulant therapy. Experimental durations have ranged between 0 and 92 days. Postexplant evaluation of tissue samples did not reveal any sign of thromboembolic events or tissue damage due to device operation.
Weber
Stephan
S
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. webers2@ccf.org
Kamohara
Keiji
K
Klatte
Ryan S
RS
Luangphakdy
Viviane
V
Flick
Christine
C
Chen
Ji-Feng
JF
Casas
Fernando
F
Ootaki
Yoshio
Y
Kopcak
Michael
M
Akiyama
Masatoshi
M
Hirschman
Gordon B
GB
Chapman
Peter A
PA
Donahue
Arthur
A
Wetterau
William
W
Prisco
Charles
C
Mast
Roy
R
Sherman
Craig
C
Fukamachi
Kiyotaka
K
Smith
William A
WA
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002417:Cattle; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D006354:Heart, Artificial; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008422:Materials Testing; D011474:Prosthesis Design
D001672:Biocompatible Materials