DEVELOPMENT OF TOTAL ARTIFICIAL-HEART WITH ECONOMICAL AND DURABILITY ADVANTAGES

To develop a total artificial heart (TAH) pump system, we created a de sign paying particular attention to durability and cost. We adopted a pneumatically driven sac type artificial heart, where the configuratio n of the sac was decided according to the methodology of flow visualiz ation. Ifs configuration is almost round to achieve as little stagnati on as possible and a low turbulent flow. The main body of the sac was made using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) paste. The paste was poured into a n external mold, and heated in a hot air drying oven. Coating was perf ormed using polyurethane. The basic performance of this pump system wa s tested using a model circulation circuit, and a fitting study throug h acute animal experiment, using a healthy adult goat, was carried out . As for the TAH produced experimentally a pump output exceeding 5.0 l /min in the model circulation circuit was provided. Implantation in th e internal pleural cavity of a healthy adult goat, 55 kg in weight, pr oved possible and quite easy in comparison. It is thought that a more refined design in the connector part is desirable. Furthermore, a chro nic experiment with the TAH will be carried out, and examination will need to be repeated in the future.