Research and development of a monopivot centrifugal blood pump for clinical use

— Collaboration for a product between medical and engineering teams —

Abstract

AIST succeeded in developing a circulatory assist centrifugal pump, which can be used as a bridge-to-bridge device of a period within four weeks before a long-term use of ventricular assist device. The adopted mechanism of monopivot bearing was originally proposed by AIST. As design verification, flow visualization was performed to evaluate the geometry and the in vitro antithrombogenic testing, proposed originally by AIST, was applied to evaluate the antithrombogenicity. And then, the animal testing was conducted in collaboration between medical and engineering teams. AIST not only succeeded in developing a product with original seeds, but also established and distributed engineering evaluation methods and the R&D guidance for industries.