Development and Animal Experiment of Moving-Actuator Type Electromechanical Total Artificial Heart

Abstract

A new type of electromechanical total artificial heart(TAH) based on circular rolling-cylinder mechanism was developed to overcome critical problems in motor-driven heart such as large size and difficulties in fitting the heart to atrial remnants and arterial vessels. Its performance and reliability were evaluated in mock circulation and animal implant experiments. The total weight and volume of the pump are 650 g and 600 ml, respectively. This new pump was implanted in a calf for total heart replacement, and it had been operated for 100 hours, with the animal in excellent physical condition. The whole system, including pump, controller, and control algorithm, has performed well to improve the prospect of clinical application of our TAH system.