Novel hybrid total artificial heart with integrated oxygenator

There continues to be an unmet therapeutic need for an alternative treatment strategy for respiratory distress and lung disease. We are developing a portable cardiopulmonary support system that integrates an implantable oxygenator with a hybrid, dual-support, continuous-flow total artificial heart (TAH). The TAH has a centrifugal flow pump that is rotating about an axial flow pump. By attaching the hollow fiber bundle of the oxygenator to the base of the TAH, we establish a new cardiopulmonary support technology that permits a patient to be ambulatory during usage. In this study, we investigated the design and improvement of the blood flow pathway from the inflow-to-outflow of four oxygenators using a mathematical model and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Pressure loss and gas transport through diffusion were examined to assess oxygenator design. The oxygenator designs led to a resistance-driven pressure loss range of less than 35 mmHg for flow rates of 1-7 L/min. All of the designs met requirements. The configuration having an outside-to-inside blood flow direction was found to have higher oxygen transport. Based on this advantageous flow direction, two designs (Model 1 and 3) were then integrated with the axial-flow impeller of the TAH for simulation. Flow rates of 1-7 L/min and speeds of 10,000-16,000 RPM were analyzed. Blood damage studies were performed, and Model 1 demonstrated the lowest potential for hemolysis. Future work will focus on developing and testing a physical prototype for integration into the new cardiopulmonary assist system.

Real-Time Ventricular Volume Measured Using the Intracardiac Electromyogram

Left ventricular end-diastolic volume (EDV) is an important parameter for monitoring patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) and might be useful for automatic LVAD work adaptation. However, continuous information on the EDV is unavailable to date. The depolarization amplitude (DA) of the noncontact intracardiac electromyogram (iEMG) is physically related to the EDV. Here, we show how a left ventricular (LV) volume sensor based on the iEMG might provide beat-wise EDV estimates. The study was performed in six pigs while undergoing a series of controlled changes in hemodynamic states. The LV volume sensor consisted of four conventional pacemaker electrodes measuring the far-field iEMG inside the LV blood pool, using a novel unipolar amplifier. Simultaneously, noninvasive measurements of EDV and hematocrit were recorded. The proposed EDV predictor was tested for statistical significance using a mixed-effect model and associated confidence intervals. A statistically significant (p = 3e-07) negative correlation was confirmed between the DA of the iEMG and the EDV as measured by electric impedance at a slope of -0.069 (-0.089, -0.049) mV/mL. The DA was slightly decreased by increased hematocrit (p = 0.039) and moderately decreased with the opening of the thorax (p = 0.003). The DA of the iEMG proved to be a significant, independent predictor of EDV. The proposed LV volume sensor is simple to integrate into the inflow cannula of an LVAD and thus has the potential to inform the clinician about the state of LV volume in real time and to automatically control the LVAD.

Hemolysis associated with Impella heart pump positioning: In vitro hemolysis testing and computational fluid dynamics modeling

INTRODUCTION

Short-term mechanical circulatory support devices provide temporary hemodynamic support in heart failure and are increasingly used to enable recovery or as a bridge to decision. Blood damage with mechanical circulatory support devices is influenced by many factors, including the magnitude and duration of shear stress and obstruction to blood flow. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the Impella CP® heart pump positioning on hemolysis using in vitro hemolysis testing and computational fluid dynamics modeling.

METHODS

The in vitro hemolysis testing was conducted per the recommended Food and Drug Administration and American Society for Testing and Materials guidelines. The bench hemolysis testing and computational fluid dynamics simulation analysis were performed for both normal operating (outlet unobstructed) and outlet-obstructed condition of Impella CP (mimicking outlet on the aortic valve due to improper positioning).

RESULTS

The modified index of hemolysis was 2.78 ± 0.69 at normal operating conditions compared to 18.7 ± 7.8 when the Impella CP outlet was obstructed (p = 0.002). Computational fluid dynamics modeling showed about three times increase in exposure time to regions of high shear stress when the Impella CP outlet was obstructed compared to unobstructed condition, thus supporting the experimental observations.

CONCLUSION

Based on these results, it is recommended to ensure proper placement of Impella CP via regular monitoring using echocardiographic guidance or other methods to minimize the risk of hemolysis associated with an obstructed outflow.

Vortical flow characteristics of mechanical cavopulmonary assistance: Pre- and post-swirl dynamics

Surgical optimization of the cavopulmonary connection and pharmacological therapy for dysfunctional Fontan physiology continue to advance, but these treatment approaches only slow the progression of decline to end-stage heart failure. The development of a mechanical cavopulmonary assist device will provide a viable therapeutic option in the bridging of patients to transplant or to stabilization. We hypothesize that rotational blood flow, delivered by an implantable axial flow blood pump, could effectively assist the venous circulation in Fontan patients by mimicking vortical blood flow patterns in the cardiovascular system. This study investigated seven new models of mechanical cavopulmonary assistance (single and dual-pump assist), created combinations of pump designs that deliver counter rotating vortical flow conditions, and analyzed pump performance, velocity streamlines, swirling strength, and energy augmentation in the cavopulmonary circuit for each support scenario. The model having an axial clockwise-oriented impeller in the inferior vena cava and an axial counterclockwise-oriented impeller rotating in the superior vena cava outperformed all of the support scenarios by enhancing the energy of the cavopulmonary circulation an average of 10.3% over the entire flow range and a maximum of 27.4% at %the higher flow rates. This research will guide the development of axial flow blood pumps for Fontan patients and demonstrated the high probability of %a cardiovascular benefit using counter rotating pumps in a dual support scenario, but found that this is dependent upon the patient-specific cavopulmonary anatomy.