| abstract |
The invention is directed to a unified system (1) for an electrohydraulic ventricular assist device adapted for implantation in the thorax and for cannulation to the blood circulatory system comprising an internal electronic controller (3) for generating an actuating signal actuating means for converting the actuating signal into a back and forth rhythmic displacement of a fluid, a blood pumping chamber (15) having an inflow blood port (19) and an outflow blood port (21) for converting the back and forth displacement of the fluid into a rhythmic unidirectional displacement of blood through the inflow and outflow ports (19, 21), hermetic coupling means (49) for supplying the internal electronic controller (3) with a supply voltage (45), detecting means (9) for generating the actuating signal in response to the status of the blood pumping chamber (15), a volume displacement chamber (VDC) acting as a reservoir for the back and forth rhythmic displacement of a fluid, and a support with a surface curvature compatible with the internal human sagittal and transverse chest wall curvatures for supporting the internal electronic controller (3), the actuating means (11), the blood pumping chamber (15), the hermetic coupling means (49) and the detecting means (9) in a compact structure with the blood pumping chamber (15) arranged with the inflow and outflow ports (19, 21) oriented away from the support and the structure with an overall size that when the unified system (1) is placed within the human thorax with the support surface adjacent the chest wall, the structure does not adversely compress adjacent organs. |