The Importance of Venous Return in Starling‐Like Control of Rotary Ventricular Assist Devices

Rotary ventricular assist devices (VADs) are less sensitive to preload than the healthy heart, resulting in inadequate flow regulation in response to changes in patient cardiac demand. Starling‐like physiological controllers (SLCs) have been developed to automatically regulate VAD flow based on ventricular preload. An SLC consists of a cardiac response curve (CRC) which imposes a nonlinear relationship between VAD flow and ventricular preload, and a venous return line (VRL) which determines the return path of the controller. This study investigates the importance of a physiological VRL in SLC of dual rotary blood pumps for biventricular support. Two experiments were conducted on a physical mock circulation loop (MCL); the first compared an SLC with an angled physiological VRL (SLC‐P) against an SLC with a vertical VRL (SLC‐V). The second experiment quantified the benefit of a dynamic VRL, represented by a series of specific VRLs, which could adapt to different circulatory states including changes in pulmonary (PVR) and systemic (SVR) vascular resistance versus a fixed physiological VRL which was calculated at rest. In both sets of experiments, the transient controller responses were evaluated through reductions in preload caused by the removal of fluid from the MCL. The SLC‐P produced no overshoot or oscillations following step changes in preload, whereas SLC‐V produced 0.4 L/min (12.5%) overshoot for both left and right VADs. Additionally, the SLC‐V had increased settling time and reduced controller stability as evidenced by transient controller oscillations. The transient results comparing the specific and standard VRLs demonstrated that specific VRL rise times were improved by between 1.2 and 4.7 s ( = 3.05 s), while specific VRL settling times were improved by between 2.8 and 16.1 seconds ( = 8.38 s) over the standard VRL. This suggests only a minor improvement in controller response time from a dynamic VRL compared to the fixed VRL. These results indicate that the use of a fixed physiologically representative VRL is adequate over a wide variety of physiological conditions.     

In Vivo Studies of Pulsatile Implantable Impeller Assist and Total Hearts

Abstract: A pulsatile impeller assist heart and a total heart were tested as a chronic left ventricular assist device in 5 calves and an acute biventricular assist device in 4 pigs respectively, to evaluate their blood compatibility. During the left ventricular assist experiments, the indicators for hemolysis, thrombogenesis, renal dysfunction, and hepatic dysfunction were measured preoperatively, at the beginning of the pumping, 6 h postoperatively, and every following day. The results demonstrated that the impeller assist heart causes no severe blood damage nor organ dysfunction in the experiments lasting up to 11 days. In biventricular assist experiments, the number of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and the he-matocrit, hemoglobin, free hemoglobin, and lactate dehy-drogenase levels were tested preoperatively at the beginning of the pumping and every 2 h postoperatively. The data remained in acceptable ranges during experiments lasting 6 h. It is confirmed that the authors' impeller assist heart and total heart have the advantages of simplicity, implantability, and pulsatility with good blood compatibility.     

手术治疗Ⅱ型锁骨外侧端骨折

目的 介绍一种治疗Ⅱ型锁骨外侧端骨折的手术方法。方法 取用锁骨与喙突间螺丝钉加压固定，喙锁韧带修复。结果 24例患术后骨折端全部愈合，关节功能恢复良好，内固定物无松脱，肩锁关节无创伤性关节炎。结论 本术式治疗成人Ⅱ型锁骨外侧端骨折，操作方便，固定可靠，效果确切，并发症少，是理想的手术方法。     

晕可宁颗粒对急、慢性梅尼埃病模型的影响

目的　探讨晕可宁颗粒的主要药效学 ,为临床提供药效学资料及治疗学基础。方法　采用三氯甲烷破坏豚鼠一侧膜迷路感受器模型 ,探讨受试药对眼震颤、摆头及旋转的影响 ;采用内淋巴囊和内淋巴管阻塞手术复制豚鼠膜迷路实验性膜迷路积水模型 ,研究内耳组织平均中阶面积 (SMA)增加率及形态学的变化。结果　抑眩宁阳性对照组、晕可宁颗粒 (8、16g/kg)模型给药组豚鼠眼球震颤次数减少 ,差异有显著意义 (P <0 .0 5 )。成功复制了不同程度膜迷路积水豚鼠模型 ,表现为前庭膜重度膨出 ,前庭阶缩小 ,膜蜗管增大 ,SMA增加率变大 ,差异有显著意义 (P <0 .0 1) ;晕可宁颗粒灌胃后可减轻豚鼠实验性膜迷路积水的程度 ,差异有显著意义 (P <0 .0 1) ;但与空白对照组比较SMA增加率差异无显著意义 (P >0 .0 5 )。结论　晕可宁颗粒可以减轻内淋巴囊积水程度 ,对梅尼埃病症状有对抗治疗作用。     

Management of adult patients with a left ventricular assist device.

The number of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantations is growing as a result of increased waiting periods for cardiac transplantation and the decreased availability of organ donors. Furthermore, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved permanent LVAD support. After an acute hospitalization, patients with LVADs may need prolonged convalescence in a healthcare facility because they have complex medical needs and are physically disabled. Admission criteria need to be developed as essential patient and nursing competencies need to be defined as a part of a successful LVAD program in an acute rehabilitation center. Acute rehabilitation centers can help patients with LVADs transition to a home setting.     

An Implantable Aortic Valvo-pump for Destination Therapy

To investigate the possibility of a long-term applicable left ventricular assist device, a 23 mm outer diameter and 31 g weight implantable aortic valvo-pump was developed. It consists of a rotor and a stator; the rotor has a driven magnets assemble and an impeller, the stator has a motor coil with iron core and a outflow guide vane. The device locates the position of aortic valve, delivers the blood directly from left ventricle to aorta. Neither connecting conduits nor “bypass” circuits are necessary. Therefore, the device has promisingly better antithrombogenicity than other heart pumps. In hemodynamic testing, the pump can produce a blood flow of 7 l/min volume with 50 mmHg pressure increase at 15,000 rpm rotating speed, and at zero flow rate the pump can maintain a diastolic pressure over 80 mmHg at same rotating speed. For further studies the blood compatibility and the durability of the device are of most importance.