Analysis of Contact Pressure on the Heart by Patient-Specific Cardiac Support Net

Abstract

The number of congestive heart failure (CHF) death has increased by 35 percent in the past quarter century. Heart failure is usually characterized as reduced contraction of heart muscle and dilatation of the chambers. Progressive dilatation and reduced contractility of the heart (= cardiac remodeling) are the common process in progression of heart failure. Prevention of cardiac remodeling is the main target for heart failure treatment. The authors have developed patient-specific cardiac support device (CSD), which is a net covering the patient's heart to prevent cardiac dilation. In this study, the contact pressure distribution between the knitted net CSD and the human heart model was analyzed in a stationary position.