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Ann Thorac Surg 2001;71:S190
© 2001 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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Soap box symposium

An anatomically compatible, wearless, reliable, and nonthrombogenic centrifugal blood pump

^a Heart Transplantation and Circulatory Assist Device Program, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA
^b Kriton Medical, Sacramento, California, USA

Address reprint requests to Dr Boyce, 106 Irving St NW, Suite 316, Washington, DC 20010
e-mail: swb1{at}mhg.edu

Presented at the Fifth International Conference on Circulatory Support Devices for Severe Cardiac Failure, New York, NY, Sept 15–17, 2000.

First-generation, volume-displacement blood pumps unload the left ventricle and assume a substantial portion of its pumping function. However, surgeons have not widely adopted these devices because the pumps are constrained by their size, weight, infection rate, thrombogenic potential, and reliability issues [1]. Smaller, second-generation axial flow blood pumps now emerging typically feature contacting bearings that may wear or become thrombogenic.

The Kriton Medical implantable device is a third-generation, centrifugal flow blood pump. The pump’s displaced volume, including the inflow tube, is 48 mL. Magnetic and hydrodynamic forces suspend the pump’s rotor and prevent it from contacting the housing; because these parts do not touch each other, the device is wearless.

Within the most recent 10 months, surgeons have implanted Kriton Medical blood pumps in 13 sheep for a combined 341 implant days. None of the animals received anticoagulation beyond the immediate perioperative period. These studies demonstrated reliable pump function, pulsatile flow, 15 L/min maximum flow, and insignificant hemolysis (plasma free hemoglobin of approximately 6 mg/dL). Most recently, one 60-day trial and two 90-day trials were terminated electively, and there was no evidence of macroscopic thrombi in any of the pumps.

Animal and laboratory evaluations indicate that the Kriton Medical third-generation centrifugal flow blood pump is anatomically compatible, wearless, highly reliable, and nonthrombogenic. The device represents a potential long-term congestive heart failure solution.

Footnotes

Dr Boyce is a Medical Consultant for Kriton Medical, Inc, while Ms Crevensten is a Project Engineer and Dr Fine is CEO and President of the company.

References

1. El-Banayosy A., Arusoglu L., Kizner L., et al. Cardiopulmonary support and physiology. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2000;119:581-587.

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Boyce, S. W. Articles by Fine, R. B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Boyce, S. W. Articles by Fine, R. B. Related Collections Mechanical Circulatory Assistance