• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1996 no.11
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• pp.273-276
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• 1996

In the Total Artificial Heart (TAH) and Ventricular Assist Device (VAD), the size implanting the internal controller into human body is very serious problem. Hence, we need the size reduction of that controller for safe implantation. Using PSD302 chip for microcontroller-based applications, we could decrease the number of components in the digital control board and miniaturize the digital control board. We could replace a ROM, RAM, and a latch with that single chip, so the size of the newly developed board could be half the previous board.

• Proceedings of the Acoustical Society of Korea Conference
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• autumn
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• pp.131-134
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• 1999

This paper considers the acoustical characteristics of the mechanical valve employed in the Korean type Artificial Heart. $Bj\"{o}rk-Shiley$ tilting disc valve was chosen for the study and acoustic measurements were performed for the artificial heart operated in a mock circulation system as well as implanted to an animal as a Bi Ventricular Assist Device (BVAD). In the mock system, three different conditions of the valve were examined which were normal, damaged (torn off), pseudothrombus attached. Microphone measurements for the BVAD were carried out at a regular time interval for 5 days after the implantation operation. Of the recorded acoustic emissions from the artificial heart, click sounds mainly originated from the valves were further analyzed using Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC) for estimating their spectral properties. It was shown that the spectral peaks below 4 kHz and the optimal order number for MUSIC, equivalent to the number of the spectral component, might be the key parameters which were highly correlated to the physiological states of the valve like the mechanical damage of the valve or the formation of thrombus on the valves.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.147-156
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• 1997

Various prosthetic heart valves have been developed and used clinically, but they have problems, such as thrombogenecity, hemoltsis, high cost and low durability. New types of trileaflet polymer heart valves have been developed in order to use them as inlet and outlet valves in a ventricular assist device. The aim of this study is to determine the hydrodynamic effectiveness of the newly designed trileaflet polymer valves and their feasibility for temporary use in the blood pumps. Trileaflet polymer valves are made of polyurethane, because of its good blood compatibility, high tonsil strength and good resistance to fatigue. An in vitro experimental investigation was perf'ormed in order to ev91ua1e hydrodynamic performance of the trileaflet polymer valves having different design and fabrication tech- niques. The St. Jude Medical valve (SJMV) and floating-type monoleaflet polymer valve (MLPV) were also tested The pressure drop across the valve, leakage volume, and the flow patterns mere investigated for valves. The result of comparative tests showed that the trileaflet polymer valves had a better hydrodynamic performance than the others. TPV which has two stable membrane shape showed the lowest back flow. The pressure hops of TPVs were lower than that of MLPV, but slightly higher than SJMV. The hydrodynamic performance of valves under the pulastile flow showed the similar results as steady flow. The velocity profiles and turbulent intensities were measured at the distal sites of valves using a hot-film anemometer. Central flow was maintained in trileaflet polymer valves, and the maximum turbulent intensities were lower in TPVs comparing to MLPV.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.1041-1048
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• 2007

Not a few patients in children and adolescents are suffering from right ventricular (RV) dysfunction resulting from various conditions such as chronic lung disease, left ventricular dysfunction, pulmonary hypertension, or congenital heart defect. The RV is different from the left ventricle in terms of ventricular morphology, myocardial contractile pattern and special vulnerability to the pressure overload. Right ventricular failure (RVF) can be evaluated in terms of decreased RV contractility, RV volume overload, and/or RV pressure overload. The management for RVF starts from clear understanding of the pathophysiology of RVF. In addition to correction of the underlying disease, management of RVF per se is very important. Meticulous control of volume status, inotropic agents, vasopressors, and pulmonary selective vasodilators are the main tools in the management of RVF. The relative importance of each tool depends on the individual clinical status. Medical assist device and surgery can be considered selectively in case of refractory RVF to optimal medical treatment.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 1982

Ventricular assist device(VAD) has been clinically applied as a temporary circulatory sup- porting system in the patients with severe heart failure, but small sized VAD for infant is not available. The purpose of this paper is to introduce small sized VAD and presents the result of in vitro test. Sejong VAD is diaphragmatic type of pneumatic pump and stroke volume is 11cc. Cardiac outputs of the Sejong VAD were measured by overflow tank under variable conditions of driving parameters. The cardiac output was 1.3 1/min at the heart rate of 120 per minute, left atrial pressure of 15cmH2O, percent systole of 43%, driving pressure of 240 mmHg, vacuum pressure of -40 mmHg, and mean aortic pressure of 70 mmHg. No mechanical problem was developed during the continuous in vitro test for 3 months.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.500-506
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• 2012

A method to model left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and detect suction occurrence for safe LVAD operation is presented. An axial flow blood pump as a LVAD has been used to assist patient with heart problems. While an axial flow blood pump, a kind of a non-pulsatile pump, has relative advantages of small size and efficiency compared to pulsatile devices, it has a difficulty in determining a safe pump operating condition. It can show different pump operating statuses such as a normal status and a suction status whether suction occurs in left ventricle or not. A fuzzy subtractive clustering method is used to determine a model of the axial flow blood pump with this pump operating characteristic and the developed pump model can provide blood flow estimates before and after suction occurrence in left ventricle. Also, a fuzzy subtractive clustering method is utilized to develop a suction detection model which can identify whether suction occurs in left ventricle or not.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.357-362
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• 1997

In vivo testings of the monoleaflet polymer valve were performed in seven dogs to prove its blood biocompatibility. The monoleaflet polymer valve used in this study was developed for short-term usage n the ventricular assist device. The frame and leaflet of the polymer valve were made of polyurethane. The inter-aortic valved conduit were implanted in four dogs and the ventriculo-atrial valved conduit was implanted in one dog. The ventricular assist devices with polymer valve were implanted in two dogs. The longest survival was 20 days. Main causes of death were bleeding and infection. To examine the blood compatibility, each blood sample was collected and RBC, WBC, hematocrit, hemoglobin, platelet and lactic acid dehydrogenase were analyzed. These studies thus far demonstrated that, with further development, a reliable and inexpensive polymer valve will be used in the ventricular assist device as short term usage.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.329-335
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• 2002

Background: The surgical technique for biventricular assist device(BVAD) implantation has mainly consisted of cannulation procedures. A median sternotomy has been the technique of choice as it gives a surgeon an excellent exposure of the heart. However, considering that most patients require a future sternotomy or already have a previous sternotomy, sternotomy-related complication remains a major concern in BVAD implantation. Based on this consideration as well as the clinical experiences of conventional heart surgery, the authors have hypothesized that the cardiac chambers for BVAD cannulation can be approached from the right side of the heart. The purpose of this studs to develop a novel surgical technique of right thoracotomy for BVAD implantation in an animals study. Material and Method: For last two years, 16 (11 calves, 3 canines, and 2 sheep) out of 30 experimental animals with AnyHeart implantation underwent a right thoracotomy. The device was used as an implantable BVAD in 14 animals, a wearable BVAD in 1, and an implantable LVAD in 1. The chest cavity was entered through the 4th intercostal space or the 5th periosteal bed. As for the BVAD use, a right inflow cannula was inserted into the right atrial free wall and a right outflow cannula was grafted onto the main pulmonary artery. A left inflow cannula was inserted into the interatrial groove and a left outflow cannula was grafted on the innominate artery of the ascending aorta. The connecting tubes were brought out through the thoracotomy wound and connected to the pump located in the subcutaneous pocket at the right flank. Result: Except for the 5 animals for a lilting test or during the early learning curve, all recovered smoothly from the procedures. The inflow drainage allowed the pump output 6.5 L/min at the maximum with 3-3.5 L/min in an average. Of the survivors, there noted no procedure-related mortality or morbidity. Necropsy findings demonstrated the well-positioned cannula tips in the each cardiac chamber

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1993 no.11
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• pp.104-106
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• 1993

Some cardio-vascular assist systems need more inexpensive artificial heart valves for short-term use. To meet with this need, we have developed a new polymer valve that is very simple to manufacture and of which its dimensions are easy to change, depending on its application. We have tested the hydrodynamic performance of the new polymer valve using a mock circulatory testing system and studied the flow through the valve using high-speed camera combined with image processing techniques. The results show that this valve is superior in its performances to the other valves (Bjork-Shiley mechanical valve and trileaflet polymer valve) and have no stagnation points. We also have tested the hemolytic potential of the valve. The valve is less hemolytic than the Bjork-shiley mechanical valve finally, we have applied this valve to a left ventricular assist device that we are developing.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.3 s.272
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• pp.168-179
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• 2007

Background: The recent trend of an increasing number of patients with acute cardiogenic shock or chronic congestive heart failure following myocardial infarction, as well as the considerable number who can not be weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass after open heart surgery, call for immediate efforts to develop affordable ventricular assist devices that are suitable for the Korean physique. Recently, a pneumatic pulsatile ventricular assist device (VAD), named DKUH-75, has been developed by the Department of Biomedical Engineering, in collaboration with the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery of Dankook University College of Medicine. The feasibility of the DKUH-75 VAD was evaluated on the bases of common hemodynamic variables and echocardiographic measurements in pigs, which are subjected to an acute cardiogenic shock state following myocardial infarction, using a novel coronary artery ligation method employing the ischemic preconditioning concept. Material and Method: Acute cardiogenic shock was induced in 10 Yorkshire Landrace Duroc strain pigs by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery via an ischemic preconditioning process. The hemodynamic variables were monitored, with epicardial echocardiographic measurements performed before and one hour after the ligation. The DKUH-75 VAD was implanted into 5 pigs one hour after the onset of the shock. The hemodynamic variables and echocardiographic measurements were taken one hour after installation of the VAD. Result: The systolic, diastolic and mean systemic arterial pressures were significantly decreased in all the experimental animals one hour after the ligation. The systolic, diastolic and mean pulmonary arterial pressures were increased (Eds note: this completely contradicts the preceding statement? However, if you mean the non-experimental animals this should be stated?). The left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was increased, but the cardiac index decreased, An increase in the left ventricular end systolic dimension and decreases in the fractional shortening and ejection fraction were observed all animals one hour after the coronary artery ligation. In all 5 of the VAD implanted pigs, the systolic and mean systemic arterial pressures were increased, and the pulmonary arterial pressures decreased one hour after the implantation; the LVEDP decreased, but the cardiac index was significantly increased, In the echocardiographic measurements, the left ventricular end systolic dimension decreased after the implantation of the VAD, but the fractional shortening and ejection fraction significantly increased. Conclusion: Significant improvements in the hemodynamic variables and echocardiographic measurements were observed in the 5 VAD implanted animals one hour after installation, which had been subjected to an acute cardiogenic shock state by ligation of the coronary artery, indicating that the DKUH-75 VAD could help in the recovery of the myocardial function. This suggests that the DKUH-75 VAD is feasible in the short term in relation to an acute cardiogenic shock state due to myocardial infarction.