Artificial Support and Replacement of Human Organs - Biomimetics: Biologically Inspired Technologies - page 455

Figure 18.2 The small BioLung artificial implantable lung. (Courtesy of MC3 Corp, Ann Arbor, MI.)

Figure 18.3 The site of the proposed attachment of BioLung artificial lung. (Courtesy of MC3 Corp, Ann

Arbor, MI.)

device was developed by DeBakey et al. in 1964 (DeBakey, 1971; Hall et al., 1964). Cooley made
an attempt to support the heart by one of the earlier artificial hearts as a bridge to transplant (Cooley
et al., 1969). Oyer was first to successfully implant the Novacor device (Pierce, 1988). DeVries and
colleagues successfully implanted the Jarvik-7 model in Barney Clark (DeVries et al., 1984).
Pulsatility has been the main difference between the different devices, as one tries to mimic nature
by producing a beat with every ejection of the pump. These mechanical systems consist of the
pusher plate activated devices or compression of collapsible sacs by pneumatic power (Deng et al.,
2001; Portner, 2001). Nonpulsatile devices are essentially motor driven centrifugal pumps (Portner,
2001). Here we review some of the clinically used devices. All that the ventricular assist devices do
is to bypass the native heart; they do not replace the heart. The heart is kept in place, and the devices
merely bypass the blood flow. The devices can either be connected with tubings to and from the