A cavalpulmonary assist device utilising impedance pumping enhanced by peristaltic effect

Burns-Cox, Arthur; Gan, Lian; Khir, Ashraf

Abstract

Background: Fontan procedure, the standard surgical palliation to treat children with single ventricular defects, causes systemic complications over years due to lack of pumping at cavopulmonary junction. A device developed specifically for cavopulmonary support is thus sought, while current commercial ventricular assist devices (VAD) are invasive, inducing high shear rates, and have issues with suitability for paediatric use.

Aim: To demonstrate the feasibility of a small size, non-invasive, valveless and pulsatile rotary pump, which integrates impedance and peristaltic effects.

Methods: A prototype pump was designed and fabricated in-house without any effort to optimise its specification. It was then tested in vitro, in terms of effect of pumping frequency, background pressure gradients and pump size on output performance.

Results: Net flow rate (NFR) and maximum pressure head delivery are both reasonably linearly dependent on pumping frequency within normal physiological range. Positive linearity is also observed between NFR and the distance of off-central pumping. The device regulates NFR in favourable pressure head difference and overcomes significant adverse pressure head difference. Additionally, the size of the device is shown to have insensitive impact on the performance.

Conclusions: The feasibility of the novel rotary pump integrating impedance and peristaltic pump is demonstrated to perform in normal physiological conditions without any optimisation effort. It provides promising results for possible future paediatric cavopulmonary support and warrant further investigation towards miniaturisation and possible haemolysis.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 17, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jul 18, 2024
• Journal: The International Journal of Artificial Organs
• Print ISSN: 0391-3988
• Electronic ISSN: 1724-6040
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2601390
• Publisher URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/jao