title: Development of a closed air loop electropneumatic actuator for driving a pneumatic blood pump.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Gi Seok
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Chang Mo
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Kyoung Won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Chi Bum
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Ho Chul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jung Joo
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jaesoon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Ho Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Yong Hu
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Kuk Hui
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Choon Hak
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Kyung
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004867:Equipment Design; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices