title: Low-cost pulsatile cardiac assist device with compliant input chamber.
abstract: We propose a new, low-cost pulsatile ventricular assist device (VAD) for short-term applications. The new device could prove very useful in emergency ventricular failure in which patient survival is not assured. In these cases, the device allows ventricular function to be maintained as the patient's situation is evaluated and a decision is made on whether to perform a heart transplant or to replace the device with a long-term VAD. The device has a pneumatic tubular blood chamber, clip valves over the cannulae, and a compliant input chamber that improves filling of the pump. Clip valves and all other functions of the device are controlled by means of a computerized console. The use of clip valves reduces the cost of the disposable part of the device.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Medicina y Cirugia Experimental, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañon, Madrid, Spain. canizo@mce.hggm.es
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: del Cañizo
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Martínez
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perez-Caballero
authors.forename: Begoña
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Quintana
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Fernandez
mesh_terms: D001243:Assisted Circulation / Q000191:economics; D004867:Equipment Design / Q000191:economics*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000601:surgery*; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D011673:Pulsatile Flow