PROSTHETIC HEART FUNCTION EVALUATION METHOD AND APPARATUS

摘要

A method of monitoring or serial measurement of the operation of a prosthetic assist device (12), the method comprising the steps of: (a) utilising a non-invasive device (21) to monitor or serially measure directly the blood flow through the by-passed heart ventricle (5); (b) separately monitoring or serially measuring the blood flow through the prosthetic assist device (12); (c) combining said two measurements to determine an overall cardiac output and a native to prosthetic flow ratio.