| abstract |
An artificial internal organ, such as an artificial heart, comprising a pump unit (4) through which blood circulates and a drive shaft (10) for driving the pump unit, the drive shaft having a shaft sealing system (22, 27) thereon. The shaft sealing system is supplied with a sealing solution from a sealing solution chamber (21) and a sealing solution bag (12). The sealing solution is formed mainly of a physiological saline, which is loaded with a protease or several kinds of aminopeptides. When blood gets into the shaft sealing system (22, 27), it is prevented from coagulating by these admixtures. Although blood in the shaft sealing system (22, 27) of this type coagulates in a unique mechanism different from a conventional one, the protease and the aminopeptides never lose their effects even in such a unique situation. |