Evaluation of a Transcutaneous Energy Transmission System utilizing Magnetic Resonant Coupling with Flexible Coils for a Ventricular Assist Device under a Phantom Condition

Abstract

A conventional power supply method using a drive line for a ventricular assist device causes infection diseases, which decreases patient’s quality of life and survival rate. A possible solution is to use a transcutaneous energy transmission system utilizing electromagnetic induction. However, it is necessary for the coil to be located on the body surface accurately because of short transmission distance. In order to avoid infection diseases as well as increase the transmission distance, we proposed the new system utilizing magnetic resonant coupling that embedded flexible coils into clothes to transfer energy. In this paper, we evaluated the influence of the electric characteristics of the human body on the transmission efficiency by using both phantom and pork. The measured transmission efficiency with a gap of 30 mm was 67 % in phantom and 70 % in pork while that in air was 80 %.