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Biomedical subjects

T Mussivand

Publications and source records attributed to T Mussivand.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Development of compliance chamber diaphragms with reduced permeability.

The implantable ventricular assist systems currently undergoing clinical readiness testing shuttle the displaced gas between the non-blood side of the pumping diaphragm and an elastic chamber generally called a "compliance chamber" or variable volume device. The movement of the stored gas allows the pump to fill and empty without compression or expansion of the gas behind the pump diaphragm. The material used for the construction of compliance chambers should be fatigue resistant to withstand the 63 million flexes per year of the blood pump. The material should also be biocompatible and highly impervious to gases. Significant diffusion of gases from the compliance system necessitates external make-up gases to somehow be added to the internal system. Material selection is complicated by the fact that most fatigue-resistant elastomers also have high gas permeability. In order to solve this problem, bilayer compliance chambers have been developed using biocompatible and fatigue-resistant polyolefin rubber comolded with relatively impervious butyl rubber.

Assisted Circulation

In vitro and in vivo performance evaluation of a totally implantable electrohydraulic left ventricular assist system.

The biolized electrohydraulic left ventricle assist devices were tested in 14 calves with an average survival time of 162 days and as long as 250 days without the use of anticoagulants. In vitro, the system pumped 4.1 L/min at a low 4.8 mmHg fill pressure with a mean afterload of 100 mmHg and rate of 46 bpm. A flow rate of 13.5 L/min was observed at 155 bpm and 110 mmHg afterload. Motor frequency and current increased with increasing flow rate (162 Hz, 0.67 amp at 2.5 L/min; 484 Hz, 2.43 amp at 13.5 L/min). Flow rate did not change significantly with afterload pressure. The complete system was implanted in a 100 kg calf. Synchronization of the blood pump with the natural heart was demonstrated at heart rates of 85 to 167 bpm. The synchronized flow rate varied from 6 to 10.5 L/min despite the considerable heart rate changes and stroke variations. The system hemodynamic performances were acceptable and met NIH requirements.

Animals

New crisscross-shaped port design for universal serial pumps.

The long range goal is the development of a clinically useful, implantable, skeletal muscle powered cardiac assist device (MCAD). To accomplish this goal, two criteria must be met: good anatomic fit, and antithrombogenicity. Because of the relative locations of the latissimus dorsi (LD) muscle and aorta, there are two possible port arrangements: "crisscrossed" (C design), in which the ports are crossed to anastomotic sites, and "prong" shaped (P design), in which no crossover takes place. The purpose of this paper is to determine which of these designs is best from a fluid dynamic perspective, and hence has the best possibility for low thrombogenicity. Flow visualization (FV) techniques were used during two pumping conditions in a mock loop: worst case (MCAD off) and best case (MCAD driven optimally). Results of the MCAD off tests showed that both designs required immediate actuation (for example, an IABP console). However, FV studies under optimal conditions indicated superiority of the C design, most likely due to kinetic energy-induced rotary motion combined with a minimal interport distance. It is concluded that the C design provides ideal flow dynamics, even in valveless pumps, and also has application to valved devices.

Counterpulsation

Electrohydraulic ventricular assist device development.

An electrohydraulic ventricular assist device has been developed. An axial flow pump driven by a brushless DC motor provides actuation. Energy is supplied by internal Ni/Cd batteries and by external Ag/Zn batteries, both rechargeable. Electromagnetic induction is used to pass energy through the skin with a transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) system. Physiologic control, battery management, motor commutation, and communication functions are performed by a surface mount internal controller. An infrared data link within the TET coils provides bidirectional communication between the external and internal controllers. A computer model was developed to predict system performance. The dimensions are 180 mm x 116 mm x 40 mm. An in vitro system pumped 5.7 L/min at 10 mmHg inflow and 100 mmHg outflow pressure. The internal battery can provide the projected energy requirements for 40 min after 540 charge/discharge cycles, and the external battery is capable of 4 hr of operation after 150 cycles. The TET system can deliver 60 W of power and exceeds 80% efficiency between 15 and 30 W. The device configuration is based on human cadaver and intraoperative fit trials. The device is being modified for calf implantation by redirecting the blood ports, increasing the output, and incorporating the internal controller in the unified device base.

Animals

Electrohydraulic ventricular assist device development.

A 64 ml (effective stroke volume) in vitro electrohydraulic ventricular assist device (VAD) prototype has been built. The energy converter is an axial flow pump driven by a brushless direct current (DC) motor. Systole begins as silicone oil is pumped from the volume displacement chamber (VDC) into the ventricle, displacing the flexing diaphragm separating the oil and the blood. In diastole, the motor reverses, providing active filling by pumping oil from the ventricle into the VDC. The surface mount electronic internal controller provides motor commutator, energy management, telemetry, and physiologic control functions. Energy is supplied externally by either a 12 V DC power supply or a 12 V DC rechargeable battery and is transmitted through the skin by a transcutaneous energy transformer (TET). Energy can also be supplied by a 12 V DC rechargeable internal battery. Bidirectional infrared telemetry is used to transmit information between the internal and external controllers.

Blood Pressure

Flow visualization in an artificial heart using diffuse and planar laser lighting.

The purpose of the study was to characterize flow properties within a clinical pusher plate type artificial heart. Dual camera video tape and synchronized still photographs were used to study flow patterns. Diffused light and a planar laser source provided illumination. The laser light was turned into a plane of light with a thickness varying from 0.1 to 10 mm, and magnesium oxide and Amberlite particles were used as tracers. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed by the examination and digitization of flow patterns. Inflow, outflow, pneumatic drive and after-load pressure, diaphragm motion, cardiac output, and heart rate were measured and recorded. An electrical circuit was developed to synchronize pump diaphragm motion with captured images of flow trajectories. Trajectories were then digitized, and velocities, turbulence, and shear stresses were calculated. As the result of these experiments, disturbed, recirculating, and stagnation zones were identified and global and local turbulence values were determined. Simultaneous turbulence, stasis, recirculation, and laminar flow patterns were observed during most phases of the pumping cycle. Velocities obtained varied from 2 cm/sec to 145 cm/sec; total local shear stresses of 12 to 897 dynes/cm2 were seen.

Blood Flow Velocity