A cardiac output monitor and diagnostic unit for pneumatically driven artificial hearts.

The pneumatic artificial heart uses a flexible diaphragm to separate blood from air. The air space behind the diaphragm is connected to the atmosphere during diastole. Blood entering the heart during diastole displaces an equal volume of air into the atmosphere. A pneumotachograph is used to sense this flow of air. Integration of the airflow signal with respect to time yields the volume of air displaced during diastole, which is equal to the volume of blood entering the heart over the same period. This measured filling volume is equal to the cardiac output when averaged over a number of cardiac cycles. Allowance is made for regurgitant losses owing to the prosthetic heart valves. The output of the pneumotachograph is independent of absolute pressure, and so the device may also be used during the systolic (air compression) phase of the cardiac cycle. Analysis of the display of the airflow curves during diastole and systole has great diagnostic value. This device is accurate, easy to calibrate, stable, noninvasive, and does not require modification of any existing air-driven artificial hearts.