• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.193-199
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• 2012

Worldwide cardiovascular diseases are the major cause of death. Aside from heart transplants, which are limited due to the availability of human donor hearts, artificial hearts are the only therapy available for terminal heart diseases. For various reasons, a total implantable artificial heart is desirable. But the limited space in the human thorax sets rigorous restrictions on the weight and dimensions of the device. Nevertheless, the appropriate functionality of the artificial heart must be ensured and blood damage must be prevented. These requirements set further restrictions to the drive of this device. In the this paper, two optimization methods, namely, the manual parameter variation and Differential Evolution algorithm, are presented and applied to match the specifications of an artificial heart.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.127-134
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• 1995

For use in patients with severe forms of heart disease for which no surgical repair is possible, development of artificial hearts has many importance in point of economics, medical and industrial applications. To provide a sufficient cardiac output to the physiological demands of circulatory systems is the objective of control systems for an electromechanical artificial heart, which is based on the stable controller design for the motor in the artificial heart. In this paper, an implantable microcontroller-based brushless DC motor control system with the implantability, reliability, and stability is introduced. The developed control system for the artificial heart has the following advantages: (1) It is possible to be implanted in a body by realizing the fundamental functions such as a motor speed detection, proportional-intergral control, timer, and PWM generation through a software programming. (2) Thus, the power consumed in the controller is reduced. (3) The reliability and stability are improved through the reduction of electronic parts and line connetions at the controller. The performance of the artificial hearts and control system developed was evaluated through a series of mock circulatory experiments and a reliability test for one and half years. A sheep with the artificial heart and control system was survived for three days.

• The Journal of the Society of Korean Medicine Diagnostics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.33-40
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• 2012

Objectives: Existing cardiovascular simulators are used to evaluate artificial organs such as artificial hearts, prosthetic valves, and artificial blood vessels, and pulses are typically triggered using artificial hearts. However, the forms of pulse waves vary according to the location of arteries, and for precise assessment of artificial blood vessels, the development of simulators that generate diverse pressure pulse waves is necessary. This study developed a novel cardiovascular simulator that generates different forms of pulse waves. Methods: This simulator consists of a stepping motor, a slider-crank mechanism that transforms the rotation movement of a motor into the straight-line motion of a piston, a piston that generates pulsatile flows, a water tank that supplies fluids, an elastic tube made of silicon, and a device that adjusts the terminal resistance of fluids. Results & Conclusion: This study examined motor rotation and its operation under conditions similar to the physiological conditions of the heart. The simulator developed in this study produced diverse forms of waves, and the generated pressure waves well satisfied physiological conditions.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.202-211
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• 1989

We experienced a series of animal experimental studies of the total artificial heart in 1988. So called, "Korean Heart* was used in this study, which is developed and fabricated in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Med., S.N.U.. "Korean Heart" is a Rolling-Cylinder Motor-Driven type which is a newly developed electromechanical heart over the shortcomes of the previous artificial hearts, especially pneumatic type. The advantages of the "Korean Heart" are total implantability, quiet and smooth movement, small size fittable in oriental people, etc. The animal experiments were performed two times, as an assist device in sheep and total artificial heart implant experiment in calf weighing 100 kg. After total implantation, the artificial heart was well functioned in movement and hemodynamic control. So that, the calf was recovered excellently, which was able to stand up by herself and take an oral intake. Total survival time was 100 hours and the cause of death was a sudden pumping failure [electrical connection problem]. Several postoperative laboratory results almost within normal limits and no hemolysis, but in autopsy, the multiple thromboembolic findings were seen at the lung and kidney.n at the lung and kidney.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1995.10a
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• pp.500-504
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• 1995

A neural network based upon the back propagation algorithm was designed and applied to acoustic power spectra of electrohydraulic total artificial hearts in order to diagnose mechanical failure of devices. The trained network distinguished spectra of the mechanically damaged device from those of the undamaged device with overall success rate of 63%. Moreover, the network correctly classified more than 70% of spectra in the frequency bands of 0-100 Hz and 700-950 Hz. Consequently, the neural network analysis was useful for the diagnosis of mechanical failure of a total artificial heart.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.469-475
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• 2000

Background: Thoracic aortomyoplasty is one of the surgical treatment for heart failure and has advantages over artificial heart or intraaortic balloon pumps. It uses autogenous skeletal muscles and solves problems such as energy source. However its use in clinical settings has been limited. This preliminary study was designed to develop surgical technique and to determine the effect of acute descending thoracic aortomyoplsty. Material and Method: Thirteen adult Mongrel dogs were used. The left latissimus dorsi muscle was wrapped around the descending aorta under general anesthesis. Swan-Ganz and microtipped Millar catheter were used for the hemodynamics and endocaridial viability ratio. Data were collected with myostimulator on and off in normal hearts and the ischemic hearts. Result: In normal hearts, the mean aortic diastolic pressure increased from 72$\pm$15mmHg at baseline to 78$\pm$13mmHg with stimulator on. Coronary perfusion pressure increased from 61$\pm$11mmHg to 65$\pm$9mmHg. Diastolic time increased from 0.288$\pm$0.003 msec to 0.290$\pm$0.003msec. Systolic time decreased from 0.164$\pm$0.002msec to 0.160$\pm$0.002 msec. Endocardial viability ratio increased from 1.21$\pm$0.22 to 1.40$\pm$0.18. In ischemic hearts, mean aortic diastolic pressure incrased from 56$\pm$21mmHg at baseline to 61$\pm$15mmHg with stimulator on. Coronary perfusion pressure increased from 48$\pm$17mmHg to 52$\pm$15mmHg. Diastolic time increased from 0.290$\pm$0.003 msec to 0.313$\pm$0.004msec. Systolic time decreased from 0.180$\pm$0.002 msec to 0.177$\pm$0.003 msec. Endovascular viability ratio increased from 0.9$\pm$0.31 to 1.1$\pm$0.31. The limited number of cases ruled out the statistic significance. Conclusion: Descending thoracic aortomyoplasty is a simple operation designed to use patient's own skeletal muscles. It trends to increase diastolic augmentation and coronary perfusion pressure. Modification of surgical technique and stimulator protocol would maximize the effect to assist the heart.

• Proceedings of the Korean Fiber Society Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.55-58
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• 2003

Segmented polyurethanes have been widely used for various commercial and experimental blood-contacting and tissue-contacting applications such as vascular prostheses, blood pumps, heart valves, pacemaker lead wire insulation, catheters, artificial hearts, and cardiac assist devices due to their generally favorable physical and mechanical properties, as well as fairly good biocompatibility and antithrombogenicity characteristics. (omitted)

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.87-96
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• 1992

In thIns paper, a numerical simulation of steady laminar and turbulent flow in a two dimensional model for the total artificial heart is'presented. A trlleaflet polyurethane valve was simulated at the outflow orifice while the Inflow orifice had a trileaflet or a flap valve. The finite analytic numerical method was employed to obtain solutions to the governing equations in the Cartesian coordinates. The closure for turbulence model was achieved by employing the k-$\varepsilon$-E model. The SIMPLER algo rithm was used to solve the problem in primitive variables. The numerical solutions of the slulated model show that regions of relative stasis and trapped vortices were smaller within the ventricular chamber with the flap valve at the Inflow orifice than that with the trileaflet valve. The predicted Reynolds stresses distal to the inflow valve within the ventricular chamber were also found to be smaller wlth the flap valve than with the trlleaflet valve. These resu1ts also suggest a correlation be- tween high turbulent stresses and the presence of thrombus In the vicinity of the valves in the total artificial hearts. The computed velocity vectors and trubulent stresses were comparable with previ ously reported in vitro measurements in artificial heart chambers. Analysis of the numerical solo talons suggests that geometries similar to the flap valve(or a tilting disc valve) results in a better flow dynamics within the total artificial heart chamber compared to a trileaflet valve.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.203-208
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• 1991

Balancing left/right cardiac output is essential for the automatic control of total artificial hearts(TAH). A fuzzy logic-based control method is presented. We use left atrial pressure( LAP) ann right a'rial pressure( RAP ) as indicators for left/right balancing. The fuzzy controller has four input variables which are measured LAP and RAP and their gradients. Desired variations in left cardiac output(LCO) and right cardiac output(RCO) are cal- culated to keep LAP and RAP within the Physiological limlts. Computer simulations were performed to adjust fuzzy membership functions for variables and verify this control method. Results from simulations showed that LAP and RAP returned to the physiological limits while AoP and PAP stayed within the physiological limits.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.533-541
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• 1995

We recently developed a new model of moving actuator type totally implantable artificial heart[TIAH , based on the reverse position of the aortic and pulmonary conduits. This concept was proposed by one of surgeons in our team[Joon-Ryang Rho, M.D. to facilitate anatomical fitting of TIAHs. The moving actuator type electromechanical TIAH consisted of the left and right blood sacs, and the moving actuator including a motor. The inverted umbrella type polyurethane valves were used in the blood pumps. The aortic conduit was positioned anterior to the pulmonary conduit, which was the opposite relation to the conventional configuration of other total artificial hearts. We also adapted slip-in connectors for the aortic and pulmonary conduits. Two sheep , weighing 60-69 kg, were used for implantation. After small cervical incision and trans-sternal bilateral thoracotomy, cardiopulmonary bypass [CPB was administered using an American Optical 5-head pump and a membrane oxygenator[Univox-IC, Bentley . The anterior and posterior vena cavae were drained separately for venous return. An arterial return cannula was inserted into the right common carotid artery. During CPB, almost all of the ventricular myocardium was excised down to the atrioventricular groove and the artificial heart was implanted. We achieved 3-day survival in the first sheep and 2-day survival in the second. The day after operation the first sheep was successfully extubated and the second sheep was weaned from a respirator with good condition. After extubation, the first sheep walked around in the cage and fed herself. Serial laboratory and hemodynamic examinations were done during the experiments. In both sheep, pulmonary dysfunction was gradually developed, which was accompanied by acute renal failure. The animals were sacrificed and autopsy was done. Unexpected pregnnacy was incidentally found in both sheep. To our knowledge this is the first report of significant survival cases in the orthotopic implantation of electric TIAH using sheep.