Circulatory Mechanotherapeutics: Moving with the Force

This review describes the current state of advancements in mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices with significantly improved hemodynamic performance and decreased adverse events. Novel considerations for future MCS designs that impart spiral flow regimes will be detailed.

Significant challenges in MCS device use have included size reduction, premature pump mechanical bearing failure, acquired bleeding disorders, and vascular complications related to high shear forces and jetting. Some of these problems have been improved upon, such as the use of magnetically levitated impellers and hydrodynamic bearings. The relative simplicity of continuous flow pumps has also enabled their miniaturization, portability, and reduced energy consumption. Recent studies by our group demonstrated that spiral forms of flow possess hemodynamically beneficial attributes at the MCS outflow cannula and aorta interface, reducing jet impact, organizing streamlines, and thereby improving endothelial function through wall shear stress modulation. Despite MCS design improvements, they are far from perfect. Induced spiral fluid modulation may help address the known flow-mediated disturbances in vascular mechanobiology.