Formation of the Control Action of the Ventricular Assist Device Sputnik to Increase Hemocompatibility

Abstract

Increasing hemocompatibility is the main task in the development of ventricular assist devices (VAD). To address this problem, pump speed modulation has been proposed that improves vascular pulsation in patients with continuous flow VAD. The flow dynamics of the Sputnik VAD with a pulsating modulation of the pump speed and its negative impact on the blood were investigated numerically. In this study, flow features were analyzed using Fluent ANSYS 19.0 computational fluid dynamics software. Hemolysis was predicted numerically using a tensor model. Scalar shear stress and hemolysis index were obtained from the Sputnik VAD flow field. The computational model did not demonstrate a deviation from the norm in the hemolysis index when the pump was operating at a modulated speed; therefore, predicting the operation with a pulsating speed modulation can help reduce the negative effect of VAD on blood cells and increase hemocompatibility.