Numerical simulation of the pulsating catheter pump: A left ventricular assist device

The pulsating catheter (PUCA) pump, a left ventricular assist device, consi sts of a hydraulically or pneumatically driven membrane pump, extracorporea lly placed and mounted to a valved catheter. The catheter is introduced int o an easily accessible artery and positioned with its distal tip in the lef t ventricle. Blood is aspirated from the left ventricle during systole and ejected into the ascending aorta during diastole. A numerical model of the PUCA pump has been developed to determine the internal diameter of the PUCA pump catheter that allows a certain blood flow. The model considers a limi tation of mechanical blood damage and determines the accompanying pressure and flow profile for driving the pump. For a flow of 5 L/min, a catheter wi th an internal diameter of at least 6.95 mm is required. For 3 L/min, the m inimal diameter is 5.50 mm. The latter catheter can be introduced in the ax illary artery, the former via the aorta during an open thorax surgical proc edure. To validate the numerical model, 2 different PUCA pump configuration s were tested in vitro. Results showed a good resemblance between model and in vitro behavior of the PUCA pump.