Early experience with a true pulsatile pump for heart surgery

Hemodynamic changes and right heart support during vertical displacement of the beating heart

“…The Enabler support system consists of a pulsatile pump and a disposable cannula-valve unit that expels blood from the right atrium into the pulmonary artery (Fig 1). The device consists of an electrohydraulically driven piston that forces fluid into the disposable head, triggered by the electrocardiogram [6]. The fluid displaces a polyurethane membrane, enabling pulsatile blood flow through the cannula using a valve mechanism (Fig 2).…”

The intra-aortic cannula pump: A novel assist device for the acutely failing heart

“…The fluid displaces a polyurethane membrane, enabling a pulsatile blood flow through the cannula with a valve mechanism. 12 During the unloading phase (Fig 2, A), the blood is pumped from the tip of the catheter, through a 1way valve, while the side holes in the aortic segment of the catheter are kept closed by another, opposite, 1-way valve. In the expelling phase (Fig 2 , B), the tip valve is in the closed position, which expels blood only from the aortic side holes.…”