Eccentric Roller Type Total Artificial Heart Designed for Implantation

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Abstract
In the process of developing a completely implantable total artificial heart system, we have made an eccentric roller type total artificial heart and evaluated it by means of a mock circulatory system and by an acute animal experiment. The actuator of the artificial heart consists of 2 cylindrical drum type rollers which squeeze 2 blood chambers. The blood chambers are made of silicone rubber and are torus in shape. There is no valve used in this artificial heart. The artificial heart appears to be a nearly circular cylinder, approximately 10 cm in length and 8 cm in diameter. In the Donovan mock test, the artificial heart worked at a roller speed of 100–125 rpm with flow rates of 2.5–3.0 L/min for the right side and 3.2–3.8 L/min for the left side, respectively. The electric power consumption was 19.0–24.7 W. Our artificial heart is characterized by an ejection of blood alternatively in the pulsatile mode without need for reversing the motor. In the ex vivo evaluation, circulation of an adult sheep was maintained with this artificial heart for 4 h.