In vivo and in vitro experience with the PUCA-II, a single-valved pulsatile catheter-pump

The Pulsatile Catheter (PUCA) pump is a trans-arterial pulsatile ventricula r assist device that can be used for short-term left ventricular support Th e separate inflow and outflow valves in the first version of the device (PU CA-I) were replaced by a single inflow/outflow valve in the latest PUCA pum p version (PUCA-II). The new combined valve was tested during in vitro (moc k circulation) and in vivo experiments for valve leakage, flow resistance, and thrombus formation. During the in vitro experiments a maximum valve lea kage of 6% during ejection and 21% during aspiration was found. The maximum flow resistance coefficient (K) was 4. The animal experiments demonstrated that the PUCA-II could be positioned within a few minutes into the left ve ntricle without X-ray guidance and without using a vascular graft. Thrombi were not found in the combined valve after total pump time of 3 hours, whic h proved the good washout of the valve. initial experiments to position the pump in the right ventricle through the pulmonary artery were successful a nd contributed to the development of a new application for the device.