Homolysis in a centrifugal pump

Abstract

The hydrodynamic effect on hemolysis in a centrifugal pump was investigated by animal tests and in vitro tests. First, a magnetically driven centrifugal pump was manufactured as an artificial heart and used for right ventricular bypass or biventricular bypass on the canine (body weight: 15-28kg) heart. Secondly, the same pump was used to canine blood circulation tests in vitro. Thirdly, the cone and cup type of testing machine was used to give constant velocity gradient (max. 1100sec^-1) to the whole canine blood sample. The results show that the hemolysis rate tends to increase as the rotational speed of the impeller of the centrifugal pump increases and that the hemolys is rate is less than 10^-3 hour^-1 at the velocity gradient less than 2×10² sec^-1.