Development of a closed air loop electropneumatic actuator for driving a pneumatic blood pump.
In this study, we developed a small pneumatic actuator that can be used as an extracorporeal biventricular assist device. It incorporated a bellows-transforming mechanism to generate blood-pumping pressure. The cylindrical unit is 88 +/- 0.1 mm high, has a diameter of 150 +/- 0.1 mm, and weighs 2.4 +/- 0.01 kg. In vitro, maximal outflow at the highest pumping rate (PR) exceeded 8 L/min when two 55 mL blood sacs were used under an afterload pressure of 100 mm Hg. At a pumping rate of 100 beats per minute (bpm), maximal hydraulic efficiency was 9.34% when the unit supported a single ventricle and 13.8% when it supported both ventricles. Moreover, pneumatic efficiencies of the actuator were 17.3% and 33.1% for LVAD and BVAD applications, respectively. The energy equivalent pressure was 62.78 approximately 208.10 mm Hg at a PR of 60 approximately 100 bpm, and the maximal value of dP/dt during systole was 1269 mm Hg/s at a PR of 60 bpm and 979 mm Hg/s at a PR of 100 bpm. When the unit was applied to 15 calves, it stably pumped 3 approximately 4 L/min of blood at 60 bpm, and no mechanical malfunction was experienced over 125 days of operation. We conclude that the presently developed pneumatic actuator can be utilized as an extracorporeal biventricular assist device.
Jeong
Gi Seok
GS
Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
Hwang
Chang Mo
CM
Nam
Kyoung Won
KW
Ahn
Chi Bum
CB
Kim
Ho Chul
HC
Lee
Jung Joo
JJ
Choi
Jaesoon
J
Son
Ho Sung
HS
Fang
Yong Hu
YH
Son
Kuk Hui
KH
Lim
Choon Hak
CH
Sun
Kyung
K
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004867:Equipment Design; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices