Comparative hemolysis tests of rotary blood pumps.

At present, hemolysis is one of the most important characteristics used to evaluate rotary blood pumps. However, the conditions of testing procedures in various research centers differ considerably. We proposed to conduct the experiments under conditions similar to those from clinical applications of arterial pumps in extracorporeal perfusion. Proceeding from these considerations, the following parameters of Hemolysis (H) testing were adopted: output, 6 L/min; difference of pressure, 300 mm Hg; initial hematocrit, 30 mg%; and initial hemolysis (PHbo) < 5 mg%. The channel pump IBP80 designed on the basis of the BP80 was tested using fresh human blood. The experimental results indicate that the H level due to the use of the IBP80 is 2-3 times less than H for the BP80. H dependence on the difference of pressure in the range between 200 and 300 mm Hg was noted for the BP80, which can be accounted for by the transition of the laminar conditions of flow to turbulence. According to the results of the hydrodynamic efficiency evaluation, the IBP80 is twice as efficient as the BP80.