1981 Volume 10 Issue 2 Pages 695-697
The average survival times of calves with total artificial heart (TAH) has been prolonged because of the effective infusion or adaptation of technologic advances in a wide variety of disciplines, including biomaterials, engineering, heart manufacturing, surgical implantation, and animal management. However new hemodynamic problems have appeared in proportion to prolonged average survival with TAH. Many basic researches have been continuing to eliminate these problems. The following points of circulatory maintenance in calves with TAH have been discussed in this manuscript.
I. Appropriate cardiac output in calves with TAH
II. Monitoring the function of TAH
III. Hemodynamic problems
a) high right atrial pressure
b) inflow obstruction caused by pannus or thrombus
c) outflow obstruction caused by thrombus or granulation tissue
IV. Mechanical failure
a) pin-sized hole in the diaphragm
b) emigration valve and broken valve
c) air leakage from the driving tube
