CARDIOVASCULAR ENGINEERING Journal for Extracorporeal Circulation, Assist Devices,Transplantation and Artificial Organs
	Volume 1, 1996, No 1

Development of DeBakey Ventricular Assist Device

S. Ohtsubo, Y. Nosé, R. Benkowski, E. Tayama, M. E. DeBakey

Abstract:
Successful miniaturization of an implantable ventricular assist device (VAD) is achieved. The DeBakey VAD is small enough to be implantable either in children or in an adult’s ventricular apex. The pump generates axial flow by a spinning inducer/impeller, which is supported by a fixed flow straightner and diffuser. It generates 5 liters/minutes of flow against 100 mmHg of total pressure head requiring less than 10 watts of input power. Prototypes of the pump have been tested in in-vitro and in-vivo biocompatibility tests. CAD/CAM/CAE technologies accelerated pump design development and improved its hemolysis and antithrombogenicity. The Index of Hemolysis of the current model is 0.006 mg/100L. In a series of extracorporeal implantation in calves, mean value of free plasma hemoglobin level was maintained less than 5 mg/dl and antithrombogenic features have been constantly improving. The latest pump configuration demonstrated complete free thrombus formation in three two week implantations. A long-term implantation aiming for over a month is on-going. This paper reviews development of the DeBakey VAD and describes systematic methodology and its results.

Keywords:
NASA/DeBakey pump, axial flow pump, ventricular assist device

Address for Correspondence:

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