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Updated: May 21, 2026
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Assessment of Pulmonary Capillary Blood Volume, Membrane Diffusing Capacity, and Intrapulmonary Arteriovenous Anastomoses During Exercise
Published on: February 20, 2017
Spontaneous increase in EVAHEART® pump flow at a constant pump speed during exercise examination
Chitaru Kurihara1, Takashi Nishimura, Kazuhito Imanaka
1Department of General Surgery, Ibaraki Prefectural Central Hospital, Kasama, Ibaraki, Japan.
Summary
The EVAHEART® ventricular assist device demonstrated increased pump flow during exercise in heart failure patients. This suggests the blood pump effectively supports patients under dynamic conditions.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Engineering
- Medical Devices
- Heart Failure Management
Background:
- Ventricular assist devices (VADs) are crucial for treating severe heart failure.
- Recent advancements focus on blood pumps to minimize adverse events.
- EVAHEART® is an implantable centrifugal blood pump designed for VAD therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clinically evaluate the performance of the EVAHEART® blood pump during exercise.
- To determine if EVAHEART® flow increases spontaneously with physical activity.
- To assess the device's suitability for supporting heart failure patients during dynamic conditions.
Main Methods:
- Four male patients with EVAHEART® implants participated.
- Device performance was assessed during controlled exercise tests.
- Pump speeds were kept constant while measuring flow, oxygen consumption (VO2), and peak velocity.
Main Results:
- EVAHEART® pump flow significantly increased from 4.1 L/min at rest to 7.2 L/min during exercise.
- Peak oxygen consumption (VO2) rose from 4.0 ml/kg/min to 14.7 ml/kg/min.
- These changes occurred at a constant pump speed, indicating a physiological response.
Conclusions:
- EVAHEART® demonstrates spontaneous flow augmentation during exercise.
- The device effectively supports severe heart failure patients under both static and dynamic conditions.
- Clinical findings align with previous animal study observations regarding exercise response.
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