Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

5-2006

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

M. Eng.

Department

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Committee Chair

Farag, Aly A.

Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)

Pantalos, George

Committee Member

Pantalos, George

Committee Member

Alphenaar, Bruce

Subject

Heart valve prosthesis; Heart--Diseases; Pediatric cardiology

Abstract

Historically in the area of pediatric heart failure, few options have been available that are specifically designed to provide pediatric circulatory support. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) was the traditional method of choice, providing cardiopulmonary support (CPS) for a relatively short time of 3-7 days. The pediatric cardiopulmonary assist system (pCAS) examined in this paper is designed to be able to provide left ventricular assist (LVA), right ventricular assist (RVA), or cardiopulmonary assist to a pediatric patient for a period of 30 days, with the option of device replacement if needed. A specially designed controller allows for both continuous and pulsatile flow assist. This study focuses on an early developmental version of the device which has a 3 inch diameter pump. The system pumping performance is characterized by using various techniques and examining a range of information. Mock circulation loop experiments are evaluated for the pCAS providing LVA, CPS during normal heart conditions, CPS during right ventricular failure, and veno-venous ECMO. Three acute animal studies are evaluated for the pCAS providing LVA. The pCAS ability to provide adequate flow of 100 ml/min/kg and restore acceptable hemodynamics is discussed for each condition. Recommendations for the optimization of pumping performance are given and will be used to guide the next steps in the development of the pCAS.

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