Prototype of a Pneumatically Operated Heart Catheter Pump

Effective assistance of the cardiopulmonary system poses a particular technological challenge. In this work we describe an innovative system for temporary heart assistance in critically ill patients, which though minimally invasive – is efficient for recovery of the heart. An Archimedic screw drive that transports the blood out of the left ventricle into the ascending aorta is coupled to a pneumatic drive unit by a contactless magnetic bearing. First tests with a prototype of the heart catheter pump on a scale of 2:1 have shown promising results and proven the feasibility of the concept based on a pneumatic drive. Additionally the pneumatically operated heart catheter pump can be combined with an intra-aortic balloon pump leading to even higher efficiency.