In Vivo Biocompatibility of an Innovative Elastomer for Heart Assist Devices.

Cardiac surgical approaches require the development of new materials regardless of the polyurethanes used for pulsatile blood pumps; therefore, an innovative biomaterial, a copolymer of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and dimer fatty acid (dilinoleic acid) modified with D-glucitol, hereafter referred to as PET/DLA, has been developed, showing non-hemolytic and atrombogenic properties and resistance to biodegradation. The aim of this work was to evaluate in vivo inflammatory responses to intramuscular implantation of PET/DLA biomaterials of different compositions (hard to soft segments). Two copolymers containing 70 and 65 wt.

In-Vitro Biocompatibility and Hemocompatibility Study of New PET Copolyesters Intended for Heart Assist Devices.

(1) Background: The evaluation of ventricular assist devices requires the usage of biocompatible and chemically stable materials. The commonly used polyurethanes are characterized by versatile properties making them well suited for heart prostheses applications, but simultaneously they show low stability in biological environments. (2) Methods: An innovative material-copolymer of poly(ethylene-terephthalate) and dimer linoleic acid-with controlled and reproducible physico-mechanical and biological properties was developed for medical applications.

Surface modification of metallic materials designed for a new generation of artificial heart valves.

Purpose:: The main goal of this work was to develop haemocompatibile thin film materials dedicated to novel flexible mechanical heart valves intended for pulsatile ventricle assist devices.

Methods:: The studies performed have led to the selection of a material for the surface modification of the metallic scaffold. Haemocompatible, biofunctional, ultra-elastic, thin carbon-based coatings were proposed.

Emergency HeartWare Ventricular Assist Device (HVAD) exchange due to pump thrombosis using minimally invasive technique.

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) thrombosis remains a dreadful complication of mechanical circulatory support, with an incidence of 8-12% depending on the pump type and patient's comorbidities. Fibrinolysis may be considered early in pump thrombosis, but when contraindicated a pump exchange remains the only alternative. This short report documents an emergency LVAD exchange in a 55-year-old man who underwent LVAD (HeartWare Inc) implantation in 2013 as a bridge to transplantation.

Digital image correlation of coated and uncoated Religa Heart_Ext ventricular assist device.

The digital image correlation is used to estimate influence of deposited heamocompatible coatings (gold and titanium nitride) on mechanical response of ventricular assist device Religa Heart_Ext made of Bionate II (thermoplastic polycarbonate urethane) under working conditions by comparison of the coated Religa Heart_Ext with uncoated Religa Heart_Ext. The DIC is applied for experimental investigation of the strains and displacements distribution on external surface of the blood chamber of ventricular assist device during loading. The experiment was conducted in a hydraulic system with water at operating temperatures of 25 and 37 °C, as well as under static pressures: 80, 120, 180, 220 and 280 mmHg, and static underpressures: -25, -45, -75 mmHg.

Athrombogenic hydrogel coatings for medical devices--Examination of biological properties.

In the article the authors present hydrogel coatings prepared from polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) macromolecules, which are chemically bonded to polyurethane (PU) substrate. The coating is designed to improve the surface hemocompatibility of blood-contacting medical devices. The coating was characterized in terms of physical properties (swelling ratio, hydrogel density, surface morphology, coating thickness, coating durability).

Numerical modelling and verification of Polish ventricular assist device.

The developed multiscale model of blood chamber of POLVAD (Polish ventricular assist device) was introduced. The tension test for polymer and digital image correlation (DIC) were performed for verification of the strains and displacements obtained in the numerical model of POLVAD_EXT. The numerical simulations were carried out in conditions given in the experiment to compare the results obtained on external surfaces of blood chamber of the POLVAD_EXT.