The Spiral Vortex (SV) ventricular assist device (VAD), a pulsatile blood pump that was designed to minimize both blood stasis and trauma to red cells, has been evaluated using flow visualization and laser Doppler anemometry. The flow visualization provided qualitative and some quantitative data on velocity distribution, shear stress, turbulence, and flow recirculation, during key phases in the pump cycle. Compared to a VAD of conventional design, the SV exhibit less turbulence, less recirculation, and better washout of critical surfaces. The laser anemometer has provided much more detailed data on the velocity distribution in the SV, and also an indication of the extent of cycle-to-cycle variations in the flow.

Date Published: 6 August 1993
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 2052, Fifth International Conference on Laser Anemometry: Advances and Applications, (6 August 1993); doi: 10.1117/12.150505

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2052:
Fifth International Conference on Laser Anemometry: Advances and Applications
J. M. Bessem; R. Booij; H. W. H. E. Godefroy; P. J. de Groot; K. Krishna Prasad; F. F. M. de Mul; E. J. Nijhof, Editor(s)