Hemodynamic Evaluation of HeartWare MVAD in Normal and Infarct Swine Models

Purpose The HeartWare MVAD is a novel ventricular assist device* that utilizes a magnetically-levitated, axial flow system. The hemodynamic effects of the MVAD have not yet been fully elucidated. We sought to evaluate the hemodynamic effects of the MVAD in normal and infarct swine models. Methods and Materials We implanted the MVAD as a left ventricular assist device in 2 healthy adult male swines and 1 adult male swine subjected to 30 minutes of left circumflex artery occlusion followed by reperfusion. All 3 animals had the MVAD implanted via median sternotomy, using cardiopulmonary bypass, and a standard apical-to-aorta implantation technique. Following implantation, hemodynamic measurements were obtained using a left-ventricular conductance catheter with MVAD settings at low, medium, and high speeds. Results In the uninjured animal, mean MVAD flow (diamond line) across increasing speed settings did not change significantly, while both dP/dt-Max and LV stroke work (LVSW) showed significant LV unloading ( Figure 1A and 1C ) In the infarcted animal, mean MVAD flow increased directly with increasing speed settings and showed a trend towards a significant reduction in dP/dt-Max and LVSW (Figure 1B and 1D). Conclusions The HeartWare MVAD is a novel miniaturized ventricular assist device system that provides significant hemodynamic support. We observed that at low, medium and high speeds, the MVAD significantly reduced ventricular volume, pressure, and stroke work. * for investigational use only.