Pneumatic drive circuit for an artificial ventricle including systolic pressure control

摘要

A pneumatic drive circuit for a pneumatically-driven artificial ventricle having a gas chamber and a blood chamber separated by a flexible diaphragm. The drive circuit comprises a source of pressurized gas at a preselected pressure. Valves operatively associated with the gas chamber of the ventricle admit gas to the gas chamber during systole and exhaust gas from the gas chamber during diastole. The drive circuit includes pneumatic logic circuitry for actuating the valves. The logic circuitry includes circuitry for causing the valves to admit gas to the gas chamber during systole at a pressure which increases gradually from zero pressure to a pressure less than the preselected pressure, and then increases rapidly to the preselected pressure.