A new circulatory model for the evaluation of ventricular assist devices (VAD): Piggyback heart circulatory assist model

Abstract

The right and left artificial hearts (AH) were used and driven as the Pt's sick heart and were connected to a copy type of the Donovan mock circulatory system with 2 or 4 chambers. The VAD of 40ml was then connected to the main AH resembling the failing heart. Hemodynamic tests of the piggyback VAD (TMG-40-N) were performed with the four-chambered circulatory system. By controlling the driving condition of the main AH, left heart failure model was produced as follows; mean arterial pressure (MAP) 43-73mmHg, total flow (TF) 1.8-2.6l/min. The VAD was driven in the counterpulsation mode for assisting this left heart failure model using a PBP-20 with a driving pressure of 180mmHg and the rate of 100/min. The following hemodynamic changes were obtained; maximal flow assist of 1.5l/min, maximal MAP arise of 32mmHg, maximal mean PAP decrease of 11mmHg and maximal LAP decrease of 19mmHg. This new model of the circulatory system can be useful for the quantitative evaluation of VAD function.