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Percutaneous intravascular micro-axial blood pump: current state and perspective from engineering view
Eiji Okamoto1, Yoshinori Mitamura2
1Graduate School of Biology, Tokai University Minami-Sawa, 5-1-1-1, Minami-ku, Sapporo, 005-8601, Japan. okamoto29@tsc.u-tokai.ac.jp.
Summary
Catheter-mounted intravascular micro-axial flow blood pumps (IMFBPs) are increasingly used for advanced heart failure. Ongoing research focuses on improving both wire-drive and direct-drive IMFBPs for better treatment options.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Engineering
- Biomedical Devices
- Heart Failure Therapeutics
Background:
- Minimally invasive catheter-mounted intravascular micro-axial flow blood pumps (IMFBPs) are gaining traction for advanced heart failure.
- Development traces back to the 1990s with wire-drive (e.g., Hemopump) and direct-drive (e.g., Valvopump) systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current state and development trends of intravascular micro-axial flow blood pumps (IMFBPs).
- To highlight the different types, classifications, and applications of IMFBPs in treating heart failure.
- To discuss the future prospects and research directions for IMFBPs.
Main Methods:
- Review of wire-drive IMFBPs utilizing external motors and drive wires.
- Analysis of direct-drive IMFBPs requiring miniature internal motors, including sealed and sealless magnetic coupling designs.
- Classification of IMFBPs based on clinical applications: cardiogenic shock/high-risk PCI and acute decompensated heart failure.
Main Results:
- Wire-drive systems transmit power externally, while direct-drive systems require compact, powerful internal motors with protection against blood ingress.
- Direct-drive systems are further divided into sealed and sealless (magnetic coupling) mechanisms.
- IMFBPs are categorized for acute indications like post-myocardial infarction cardiogenic shock or high-risk PCI, and for acute decompensated heart failure.
Conclusions:
- Both direct-drive and wire-drive IMFBPs have distinct advantages and disadvantages, with ongoing efforts to refine and implement them.
- Continuous development and potential for innovative new devices exist in the IMFBPs field.
- IMFBPs represent a significant area for artificial heart research and offer novel treatment avenues for severe heart failure patients.
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