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Estimation of the Minimum Pump Speed to Prevent Regurgitation in the Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device: Left Ventricular Drainage versus Left Atrial Drainage
Author(s) -
Tayama Eiki,
Ohashi Yukihiko,
Niimi Yoshinari,
Takami Yoshiyuki,
Ohtsuka Goro,
Benkowski Robert,
Glueck Julia A.,
Nosé Yukihiko
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
artificial organs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.684
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1525-1594
pISSN - 0160-564X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1594.1997.tb00490.x
Subject(s) - regurgitation (circulation) , pulsatile flow , ventricular assist device , cardiology , drainage , medicine , aortic valve , flow (mathematics) , ventricular pressure , aortic pressure , diastole , hemodynamics , heart failure , mechanics , blood pressure , physics , ecology , biology
Due to the fact that centrifugal and axial pumps do not require valves, there is a possibility of back flow when the pump speed is low. To estimate the minimum required pump speed to prevent this regurgitation, an in vitro simulation test was conducted. A pulsatile pump simulated the natural heart while a centrifugal pump simulated the continuous flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD). The LVAD flow was attained from the left atrial (LA) drainage or left ventricular (LV) drainage. The minimum or regurgitate flow was observed in the systolic phase with LA drainage and in the diastolic phase with LV drainage. LV drainage always provided higher flow than LA drainage at the same pump speed. These differences are due to the various total pressure heads of the LVAD. To prevent the regurgitation, the LVAD should maintain a certain pump speed which can create positive flow against the aortic systolic pressure with LA drainage and against the aortic diastolic pressure with LV drainage. These required pump speeds can be identified by the LVAD flow‐pressure curve.