This work is part of our ongoing collaboration with UCSD's Cardiac Mechanics Research Group. Read more about the Heart Failure Modeling project. Conceptually, this is a nut and screw system, using magnetic helices as threads. There is no contact between nut and screw, and therefore no wear and friction. A protein coated blood contacting surface is another significant advantage of our TAH system, as it introduces an alternative to the smooth polyurethane blood contacting material currently employed by other TAH systems.
Animal experiments show an excellent biocompatibility of our coating.
The new design would incorporate a mechanism to stop the cannula from withdrawing from the surgical site during the procedure. The solid model allowed Dr. Parker to visualize the final prototype and make any design modification he deemed necessary. The prototype was then fabricated in our Prototype and Polymer Labs. The prototype was then used to demonstrate the feasibility of the design. Dongbu Cao, Dave Thompson FE analysis of the dynamic loading of the calcaneous during jumping.