Generating artificial pulse

摘要

In order to produce a pulsatile blood flow pattern that includes time periods of relatively high blood flow rates and time periods of relatively low blood flow rates, the operating speed of a blood pump can be selectively controlled to produce an operating speed pattern that includes time periods of relatively high rotation speeds and periods of relatively low rotation speeds. For example, the blood pump is rotated at a first speed for a first period of time. The speed of the blood pump is then decreased from the first speed to a second speed and is operated at the second speed for a second amount of time. The speed of the blood pump is then decreased to a third speed for a third amount of time. If desired, the operating speed pattern can be repeated to continue the pulsatile blood flow pattern.

主权项

1. A method for producing a pulsatile blood flow having a relatively low pressure time period portion and a relatively high pressure time period portion and having a temporal rate of pressure change that mimics a temporal rate of pressure change of a natural physiologic pulse, the method comprising:
repeating a cycle in which the duration of the relatively high pressure time period portion is greater than half of the duration of the cycle, the cycle comprising:
operating a continuous flow blood pump to produce a first blood flow rate through the continuous flow blood pump associated with the relatively low pressure time period portion of the pulsatile blood flow;operating the continuous flow blood pump to produce a second blood flow rate through the continuous flow blood pump associated with the relatively high pressure time period portion of the pulsatile blood flow; andcontrolling the continuous flow blood pump to increase a blood flow rate through the continuous flow blood pump from the first flow rate to the second flow rate to produce the temporal rate of pressure change that mimics the temporal rate of pressure change of the natural physiologic pulse.