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The BiVACOR Rotary Biventricular Assist Device: Concept and In Vitro Investigation
Author(s) -
Timms Daniel,
Fraser John,
Hayne Mark,
Dunning John,
McNeil Keith,
Pearcy Mark
Publication year - 2008
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.1525-1594.2008.00633.x
Subject(s) - impeller , pulsatile flow , outflow , biomedical engineering , heart failure , flow (mathematics) , continuous flow , ventricular assist device , materials science , cardiology , medicine , mechanical engineering , mechanics , engineering , physics , meteorology
The BiVACOR is a novel rotary Biventricular Assist Device (BiVAD) undergoing development to treat global end‐stage heart failure. The design includes left and right vanes positioned on a shared rotating hub to form a double‐sided magnetically and hydrodynamically suspended centrifugal impeller. The performance of the device was assessed in a pulsatile mock circulation loop replicating end‐stage biventricular heart failure, and was shown to restore flow from pathological (2 L/min) to normal levels (5 L/min). A novel technique to balance the left/right outflow of the BiVAD was also investigated, for which a maximum relative left to right outflow differential of 1.8 L/min was achieved at normal physiologic afterloads. The in vitro results encourage device progression to in vivo animal studies. Successful development of this BiVAD will provide a suitably miniature device for patients who require biventricular assistance.