COMPARISON OF COMPREHENSIVE HEMOLYTIC CHARACTERISTICS IN A CENTRIFUGAL, A MIXED-FLOW AND AN AXIAL-FLOW BLOOD PUMP

Abstract

Comprehensive hemolytic characteristics in centrifugal(CP), mixed-flow(MFP) and axial-flow blood pump(AFP), that had same size impellers(20mm in diameter), were investigated. Hemolytic tests were performed at several driving points. In CP, hemoglobin isolation dose per hour(Δf-Hb) was correlated with pump output power(OP). In MFP, Δf-Hb increased according to increase of OP when OP was lower than 1 watt, and decreased according to increase of OP when OP was higher than 1 watt. In AFP, Δf-Hb correlated with OP in two groups. Δf-Hb tended to correlate with pump speed in the CP and AFP. Relationship between Δf-Hb and pump efficiency was not observed clearly in any pump. We believe that MFP had a peculiar hemolytic characteristics because flow pattern change in the impeller due to driving point was complicated much more than other pumps.