The effects of impact on the CorAide ventricular assist device

To assess the effects of impact on the performance and durability of the CorAide ventricular assist device, three different simulations were performed. The first involved dropping a nonoperating pump onto a hardwood surface from 3.25 ft, the second and third tests by dropping from 4 and 13 ft, while the CorAide pump operated in a mock circulatory loop. The boxed pump and mock circulatory loop were dropped onto padding in three different orientations, causing loading in the following directions: radial direction, axial direction toward the secondary impeller, and axial direction toward the primary impeller. The padding thickness was adjusted and the drop height was selected so that the measured parameters were comparable with chest accelerations from published automotive test data for survivable crashes. In vitro performance testing of the pump, visual inspection, and magnetic strength of the rotating assembly were done before and after each test. No changes in pump performance or magnet strength resulted, and no pump component damage resulted from the testing.