DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERUMO-CAPIOX CENTRIFUGAL PUMP AND ITS CLINICAL-APPLICATION TO OPEN-HEART-SURGERY - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY WITH THE ROLLER-PUMP

We have developed the Terumo Capiox centrifugal pump (CXP), which cons ists of a rotor having a unique straight-path design to reduce pump ro tational speed without decreasing hydraulic efficiency. The CXP was te sted in vitro for blood trauma with a specially designed test circuit using fresh bovine blood. The Biopump (BP) (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN , U.S.A.) and the roller pump (RP) were used as controls. The CXP demo nstrated the smallest elevation of free plasma hemoglobin compared wit h the BP and the RP. The CXP was then applied to cardiopulmonary bypas s (CPB) in 10 patients (CXP group) who underwent elective coronary art ery by-pass grafting (CABG), and the results were compared with those for a comparable roller pump group (RP group). Free plasma hemoglobin level, platelet count, and serum beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) level were measured during CPB. There were no CXP-related complications nor hemodynamic abnormalities during CPB. The CXP group demonstrated less hemolysis and less platelet depletion than the RP group. Furthermore, the serum beta-TG level was significantly lower in the CXP group than in the RP group. The CXP showed excellent hemodynamic performance with less blood trauma both in vitro and in clinical application to open h eart surgery. Thus, the CXP has significant potential to be safely app lied to CPB for open heart surgery and circulatory support.