Design and test of a vascular access device

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Transarterial left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are typically inserted via femoral or axillary arteries.
• Direct aortic access is sometimes required but often involves complex surgical techniques like graft anastomosis.
• Existing methods for direct aortic access may necessitate major thoracic surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel vascular access device for direct aortic insertion.
• To provide an alternative to surgical graft anastomosis for aortic access.
• To assess the feasibility of placing the device without requiring aortic clamping.

Main Methods:

• A prototype device was designed, featuring a circular knife for aortic wall incision and a mechanism for securing a plastic tube.
• The device was tested on porcine aortas, including simulated low-pressure conditions.
• Animal experiments were conducted using the low-pressurized pulmonary artery to evaluate device performance.

Main Results:

• The prototype device successfully created a sealed connection directly into the aortic wall.
• Testing on porcine aortas and pulmonary arteries showed no leakage at pressures ranging from 40 to 300 mm Hg.
• The device allowed for placement without the need for aortic clamping.

Conclusions:

• The developed vascular access device provides a promising alternative for direct aortic access.
• This technology could simplify the procedure for certain left ventricular assist device (LVAD) applications.
• The device's ability to function without aortic clamping and prevent leakage is a significant advancement.