title: Unlocking the box: basic requirements for an ideal ventricular assist device controller.
abstract: A modern ventricular assist device (VAD) system comprises an implantable rotary blood pump and external components located outside the patient's body: a wearable controller connected to the pump via a percutaneous cable, wearable rechargeable batteries, battery charger, alternating- and direct-current power supplies, and a hospital device to control and monitor the system. If the blood pump is the 'heart' of a VAD system, the controller is its 'brain.' The controller drives the pump's electrical motor; varies the pump speed or flow based on user commands or feedback signals; collects, processes, and stores data; performs self-diagnostics; transmits to and receives data from other system components, i.e., hospital monitor and batteries; and provides various types of user interface - audible, visual, and tactile. Areas covered: Here we describe the essential functions and basic design of the VAD external controller and give our views on the future of this technology. Expert commentary: Controllers for VAD systems are crucial to their successful operation. The current clinically available system comprises an external power supply and patient-friendly controller unit. Future controller solutions may enable remote hospital monitoring, more intuitive system interface, and the potential to use a single controller to automatically control a biventricular assist device configuration.
authors.affiliation: a Innovative Medical Device Development , Chagrin Falls , OH , USA.
authors.forename: Alexander L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Medvedev
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute , Cleveland Clinic , Cleveland , OH , USA.
authors.forename: Jamshid H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Karimov
authors.affiliation: c Electronics Core, Medical Device Solutions, Lerner Research Institute , Cleveland Clinic , Cleveland , OH , USA.
authors.forename: Barry D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Kuban
authors.affiliation: d R1 Engineering , LLC , Euclid , OH , USA.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Horvath
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute , Cleveland Clinic , Cleveland , OH , USA.|e Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Kaufman Center for Heart Failure, Cardiac Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support, Miller Family Heart and Vascular Institute , Cleveland Clinic , Cleveland , OH , USA.
authors.forename: Nader
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moazami
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute , Cleveland Clinic , Cleveland , OH , USA.
authors.forename: Kiyotaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukamachi
mesh_terms: D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D011474:Prosthesis Design
keywords: Electronic controller; Pumps, heart-assist; electric power supplies; heart failure; mechanical circulatory system; ventricular assist devices