Pulsatile Pediatric Ventricular Assist Devices

A pulsatile pediatric ventricular assist device (PVAD) is being developed at The Pennsylvania State University to provide mechanical circulatory support in infants and children. The PVAD is based on the design of the adult-sized Pierce-Donachy VAD (Thoratec VAD). The infant-sized PVAD has a dynamic stroke volume of approximately 13 ml. A larger 25-ml size for children is also planned. The stroke volumes, beat rates, and pulsatility are comparable to normal physiologic values. The expected maximum duration of use is 6 months. The PVAD is intended to be placed paracorporeally, although the pump may be implanted for bridge-to-transplant applications. The pneumatically actuated PVAD uses a full-to-empty control mode, which allows maximum flexibility in its application for left, right, or biventricular assistance. The device may be used with atrial or ventricular inlet cannulation, with blood return to the aorta or pulmonary artery. In vitro testing is underway to measure hydrodynamic performance, hemolysis, and flow velocities using particle image velocimetry. In vivo implantation studies will be performed in juvenile goats or sheep after the completion of baseline studies to assess hematology and surgical fit.

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