Improvement of a mock circulatory loop for in vitro tests of left ventricular assist devices

• Grant number: 13/17870-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2014
• End date: July 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Mechanical Engineering Design
• Principal Investigator: Chi Nan Pai
• Grantee: Ludmila Pacheco Bezerra
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The human circulatory system is subject to several diseases. These diseases were responsible for 320 074 (29.01%) of deaths in Brazil in 2009. Many of them lead to a heart failure state, when the heart loses the ability to maintain blood flow inside the body. Patients with severe heart failure need heart transplant, but there are not enough donors and many patients die on the waiting list. Aiming to address the lack of donors, Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD), have been developed and used to assist the pumping function of the heart. To analyze the durability and the performance of the DAVs it is necessary a simulator that simulates the cardiovascular physiology of the human circulatory system. A simulator has been designed by the student of this project in her previous research. However, it was only possible the construction of the left ventricle, where during the evaluation, it was found that some parts require modifications for proper functioning. Therefore, the goal of this project is to improve the current ventricle and to finise a cardiovascular simulator, so that it can be used for in vitro tests of Left Ventricular Assist Devices.