Experimental Results For Chronic Left-Ventricular Assist And Total Artificial-Heart Development

After more than 20 years of research on the artificial heart, it is now accepted that the pneumatically actuated total artificial heart can maintain near-normal physiology in experimental animals for several months. Such systems are clinically acceptable for short-term application (a few months) in patients waiting for a suitable heart transplant. However, realistically, a cardiac prosthesis that has the capability of being totally implantable for over 2 years must be available. Based on this premise, our group initiated the development of a mechanically actuated total artificial heart, capable of coupling with either a thermal or electrical actuation system. Since 1977, under the National Institutes of Health chronic left ventricular assist program, we have used two different pusher-plate pumps and electrical systems. Taking advantage of technology generated in these programs, we began developing a prosthesis to replace the total cardiac function. This paper is a summary of both the chronic left ventricular assist and total artificial heart development progress in this laboratory.