title: In vitro evaluation of control strategies for an artificial vasculature device.
abstract: Ventricular assist devices (VADs) have been used successfully as a bridge to transplant in heart failure patients by unloading ventricular volume and restoring the circulation. An artificial vasculature device (AVD) that may better facilitate myocardial recovery than VAD by controlling the afterload seen by the ejecting heart is being developed. The AVD concept is to enable any user-defined input impedance (IM) with resistance (R) and compliance (C) components. In this study, a pulse duplicator was used to test the efficacy of the AVD concept for two control strategies in an adult mock circulation: (1) R-C in series and (2) 2-element Windkessel (R-C in parallel) using instantaneous impedance position control (IIPC) to maintain a desired value or profile of R and C. In vitro experiments were performed and the resulting cardiovascular pressures, volumes, flows, and the afterload (R and C) seen by the LV during ejection for simulated cardiac failure were recorded and analyzed. Our results indicate that setting the AVD to lower IM reduced LV volume and pressure, restored LV stroke volume, and increased coronary flow. The IIPC control algorithms are better suited to maintain any instantaneous IM or an IM profile, but are susceptible to measurement noise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Dakota State University, ND, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Glower
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Giridharan
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Gillars
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Pantalos
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Litwak
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Ewert
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Koenig