Development of Valveless Pulsatile Flow Blood Pump

Abstract

Artificial valves are used in most artificial hearts to pump up blood against high aortic pressure. However, they cause serious damage to blood by inducing hemolysis and thrombus formation. To solve these problems, we have devised a prototype model of a valveless blood pump which can produce pulsatile flow by periodically compressing from one end to the other a lunar-shaped polyurethane-made blood chamber with an oscillating disk. The pumping characteristics of the blood pump were studied by setting up a mock circulatory system. It was found that the pump could generate flow and pressure waves which were similar to those generated by a natural heart in vivo. The amount of hemolysis caused by this blood pump was comparable to that caused by an ordinary roller pump and a centrifugal pump. These results indicate that the new apparatus could serve as a blood pump in clinical practice.