Development of a Totally Implantable Artificial Heart : Saitama Medical School Type Total Artificial Heart: STAH

摘要

A prototype of Saitama Medical School type Total Artificial Heart (STAH) was newly developed. STAH designing is to be installed totally inside the mediastinal cavity replacing the natural heart. Because of the sophisticated shape of the blood pump based on an anatomical view, as well as separation of the blood pump from the actuator, the whole system is resulted in good feasibility for anatomical fitting. The principle of drive mechanism is that two pusher plates eject the blood in the left and the right chambers of the blood pump alternately, by driving a simple cam with an electromechanical actuator. This prototype has proven to eject 4.6 L/min on a mock circulatory system. Although further efforts will be necessary for a practical application, the STAH pump may have a possibility to be one of the most promising devices as a total artificial heart.