An extended computational model of the circulatory system for designing ventricular assist devices.

An extended computational model of the circulatory system has been developed to predict blood flow in the presence of ventricular assist devices (VADs). A novel VAD, placed in the descending aorta, intended to offload the left ventricle (LV) and augment renal perfusion is being studied. For this application, a better understanding of the global hemodynamic response of the VAD, in essence an electrically driven pump, and the cardiovascular system is necessary. To meet this need, a model has been established as a nonlinear, lumped-parameter electrical analog, and simulated results under different states [healthy, congestive heart failure (CHF), and postinsertion of VAD] are presented. The systemic circulation is separated into five compartments and the descending aorta is composed of three components to accurately yield the system response of each section before and after the insertion of the VAD. Delays in valve closing time and blood inertia in the aorta were introduced to deliver a more realistic model. Pump governing equations and optimization are based on fundamental theories of turbomachines and can serve as a practical initial design point for rotary blood pumps. The model's results closely mimic established parameters for the circulatory system and confirm the feasibility of the intra-aortic VAD concept. This computational model can be linked with models of the pump motor to provide a valuable tool for innovative VAD design.

A controller for a miniature intra-aortic ventricular assist device.

Two control algorithms have been developed for a minimally invasive axial-flow ventricular assist device (VAD) for placement in the descending aorta. The purpose of the device is to offload the left ventricle and to augment lower body perfusion in patients with moderate congestive heart failure. The VAD consists of an intra-aortic impeller with a built-in permanent magnet rotor and an extra-aortic stator. The control algorithms, which use pressure readings upstream and downstream of the VAD to determine the pump status, have been tested in a mock circulatory system under two conditions, namely with or without afterload sensitivity. The results give an insight into controller design for an intra-aortic blood pump working in series with the heart.

Design method of an innovative motor for an intra-aortic ventricular assist device

A permanent-magnet motor has been designed for an innovative axial-flow ventricular assist device (VAD), to be placed in the descending aorta, intended to offload the left ventricle and augment renal perfusion in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). For this application, an intra-aortic impeller with a built-in permanent magnet rotor is driven by an extraaortic stator working in synchronism with the natural heart. To meet this need, a two-dimensional analytical model has been developed in the MATLAB environment to estimate machine parameters; finite element analysis (FEA) has been used to refine the results. A prototype blood pump equipped with an innovative motor designed from the procedure above has been tested in a mock loop representing the human circulatory system. The performance of VAD incorporating the motor is presented. © 2009 IEEE.