Bond Graph Modeling of Mechanical Circulatory Support Device-Cardiovascular System Interactions

Area of Science:

• Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering
• Systems Dynamics

Background:

• Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices are crucial for heart failure patients.
• Evaluating MCS device performance and control strategies is challenging due to complex multi-domain interactions.
• Existing methods struggle to integrate biological, hydraulic, electromechanical, and control systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply bond graph modeling to analyze MCS device performance and cardiovascular system interaction.
• To develop a unified framework for understanding the dynamics of MCS devices and the cardiovascular system.
• To demonstrate the utility of bond graph modeling in improving MCS system design and control.

Main Methods:

• Utilized bond graph modeling, a technique from hydraulic pump design and robotics.
• Formulated a model for systemic circulation interacting with the left side of a total artificial heart (TAH).
• Incorporated hydraulic (e.g., AbioCor/Carmat) or pneumatic (e.g., SynCardia) TAH structures with a systemic circulation loop.

Main Results:

• The model successfully captures the dynamics of the membrane, hydraulic/pneumatic power source, and systemic circulation.
• Demonstrated the integration of diverse system components within a single modeling framework.
• Highlighted the effectiveness of bond graph modeling in analyzing complex MCS-CV system interactions.

Conclusions:

• Bond graph modeling offers a powerful tool for evaluating MCS device performance and control.
• This multidisciplinary approach provides insights for enhancing the design of future mechanical circulatory support systems.
• Cross-pollination of analytical tools can significantly advance the field of artificial heart technology.