Testing of a 50 cc stroke volume completely implantable artificial heart: Expanding chronic mechanical circulatory support to women, adolescents, andsmall stature men

The development of a completely implanted total artificial heart at our ins titution has progressed to successful in vivo and in vitro testing of a dev ice that is nearing clinical testing. This system consists of a 70 cc strok e volume pump originally designed to be used in men of average stature. Imp lantation of this system remains limited by patient size; hence, many women and adolescent patients will likely be precluded from support because of t heir smaller stature. A system similar in design, but with a 50 cc stroke v olume pump has been developed. The first in vivo study of this device has b een undertaken. A calf was supported for 33 days. The animal was extubated and ambulatory within the first 6 hours of implantation, and remained healt hy until the thirty-third postoperative day when it suffered an embolic neu rologic event, The pump and operating system worked flawlessly throughout t he period of support. Further in vivo and in vitro testing will be undertak en. Development of a scaled down total artificial heart system expands this type of circulatory support to those critically ill patients previously de emed poor candidates because of their smaller body habitus.