Development of a Pulsatile Flow-Generating Circulatory Assist Device (K-Beat) For Use with Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in a Pig Model Study.

Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) preserves the life of heart failure patients by providing an adequate oxygen supply and blood flow to vital organs. For patients with severe cardiogenic shock secondary to acute myocardial infarction or acute myocarditis, V-A ECMO is commonly used as the first choice among cardiac circulatory support devices. While V-A ECMO generates circulatory flow using a centrifugal pump, the provision of pulsatile flow is difficult.