IN-VIVO STUDIES OF PULSATILE IMPLANTABLE IMPELLER ASSIST AND TOTAL HEARTS

A pulsatile impeller assist heart and a total heart were tested as a c hronic left ventricular assist device in 5 calves and an acute biventr icular assist device in 4 pigs respectively, to evaluate their blood c ompatibility. During the left ventricular assist experiments, the indi cators for hemolysis, thrombogenesis, renal dysfunction, and hepatic d ysfunction were measured preoperatively, at the beginning of the pumpi ng, 6 h postoperatively, and every following day. The results demonstr ated that the impeller assist heart causes no severe blood damage nor organ dysfunction in the experiments lasting up to 11 days. In biventr icular assist experiments, the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and the hematocrit, hemoglobin, free hemoglobin, and lactate dehydrogenase levels were tested preoperatively at the beginn ing of the pumping and every 2 h postoperatively, The data remained in acceptable ranges during experiments lasting 6 h. It is confirmed tha t the authors' impeller assist heart and total heart have the advantag es of simplicity, implantability, and pulsatility with good blood comp atibility.