Preload Sensitivity with TORVAD Counterpulse Support Prevents Suction and Overpumping.

Purpose: This study compares preload sensitivity of continuous flow (CF) VAD support to counterpulsation using the Windmill toroidal VAD (TORVAD). The TORVAD is a two-piston rotary pump that ejects 30 mL in early diastole, which increases cardiac output while preserving aortic valve flow.

Methods: Preload sensitivity was compared for CF vs.

A Novel Toroidal-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Minimizes Blood Trauma: Implications of Improved Ventricular Assist Device Hemocompatibility.

Background: Continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) cause blood trauma that includes von Willebrand factor degradation, platelet activation, and subclinical hemolysis. Blood trauma contributes to bleeding, thrombosis, and stroke, which cause significant morbidity and mortality. The TORVAD (Windmill Cardiovascular Systems, Inc, Austin, TX) is a first-of-its kind, toroidal-flow LVAD designed to minimize blood trauma.

Scaling the Low-Shear Pulsatile TORVAD for Pediatric Heart Failure.

This article provides an overview of the design challenges associated with scaling the low-shear pulsatile TORVAD ventricular assist device (VAD) for treating pediatric heart failure. A cardiovascular system model was used to determine that a 15 ml stroke volume device with a maximum flow rate of 4 L/min can provide full support to pediatric patients with body surface areas between 0.6 and 1.

Preservation of native aortic valve flow and full hemodynamic support with the TORVAD using a computational model of the cardiovascular system.

This article describes the stroke volume selection and operational design for the toroidal ventricular assist device (TORVAD), a synchronous, positive-displacement ventricular assist device (VAD). A lumped parameter model was used to simulate hemodynamics with the TORVAD compared with those under continuous-flow VAD support. Results from the simulation demonstrated that a TORVAD with a 30 ml stroke volume ejecting with an early diastolic counterpulse provides comparable systemic support to the HeartMate II (HMII) (cardiac output 5.

Verification of a computational cardiovascular system model comparing the hemodynamics of a continuous flow to a synchronous valveless pulsatile flow left ventricular assist device.

The purpose of this investigation is to use a computational model to compare a synchronized valveless pulsatile left ventricular assist device with continuous flow left ventricular assist devices at the same level of device flow, and to verify the model with in vivo porcine data. A dynamic system model of the human cardiovascular system was developed to simulate the support of a healthy or failing native heart from a continuous flow left ventricular assist device or a synchronous pulsatile valveless dual-piston positive displacement pump. These results were compared with measurements made during in vivo porcine experiments.

Understanding blood/material interactions: contributions from the Columbia University Biomaterials Seminar.

Meetings of the Columbia University Biomaterial Seminars held in the 1970s and 80s are recounted from the personal perspectives of a participant and attendee. Important lessons regarding blood/foreign surface interactions that emanated from the seminars are reproduced along with a list of contemporary contributing members. These lessons continue to have broad relevance in furthering our understanding of the behavior of blood whenever it is used in artificial organ technology.