Application of Indirect Flow Rate Measurement Using Motor Driving Signals to a Centrifugal Blood Pump with an Integrated Motor

The method of measuring the flow rate of a centrifugal blood pump from the input electric power, which will be indispensable for the long-term use of such devices, was developed and was applied to the direct-driven centrifugal blood pump that has been developed by our research group. The accuracy was evaluated in a chronic animal experiment using an adult goat. The results demonstrated that this method carries the sufficient potential of the instantaneous monitoring method, but errors due to electromagnetic and mechanical losses were not determined always precisely. The detection of adverse phenomena such as the obstruction of the inlet cannula was also possible from the estimated value of the flow rate and its waveform pattern.