Analysis of Silicone Additives to Model the Dielectric Properties of Heart Tissue

VADs (Ventricular Assist Devices) support the weakened heart by pumping blood carrying oxygen and life-essential nutrition into the organs. The advantageous location of minimal-invasive catheter-based VADs in the left ventricle and the aorta can be used to determine relevant cardiac parameters to achieve physiological and individual control of the VAD according to the needs of the patient. These parameters can be used to accelerate weaning from the pump, leading to an improvement in the patient’s quality of life. To date, impedance technology is a suitable tool for monitoring the volume of hollow organs and analysing electrical changes in tissue properties. Using this technique in the heart, we believe that cardiac recovery in VAD therapy can be improved by measuring left ventricular volume and myocardial property changes due to insufficient perfusion.