Abstract
A centrifugal blood pump is essential medical device for severe heart failure patients. Fluid dynamical analysis and in vitro antithrombogenic testing are important evaluations for the development of the pumps. Animal experiment is also indispensable testing in terms of total antithrombogenic evaluations. However, real-time monitoring of blood clotting in the pump is necessary to maintain the patients' safety, although the pump has excellent antithrombogenicity. In this paper, we describe our evaluation method for antithrombogenic testing in vitro, and the real-time monitoring system by animal experiment. The results obtained from fluid dynamics and in vitro testing were closely related to those from animal experiments. For the real-time monitoring, we succeeded to find the thrombi behind the impeller without pump stop by hyperspectral imaging, that is, this monitoring system is useful tools for extracorporeal circulation system.
