Preliminary Study on the functional reproduction of an Artificial Myocardium using Covalent Shape Memory Alloy Fibre Based on Control Engineering

The authors have been developing an artificial myocardium using a sophisticated covalent shape memory alloy fibre, which is capable of assisting natural cardiac contraction from the outside of the ventricular wall. We applied engineering method based on robotics control and constructed the artificial myocardial assist system which might be able to regulate derangement and regenerative tensile force on the surface of heart. In this study, a design to surround the total heart has been established in order to refrain from the stress concentration by the mechanical assistance, and the hemodynamic performance of the artificial myocardial assist system were examined in a mock circulatory system as well as on animal experiments using goats. Basic characteristics of the shape memory alloy fibre unit were examined and the displacement control could be achieved under the condition of the different external temperature by feedback using the PID control. And also the increase of the external work of the goats left ventricular pressure-volume relationship were obtained by the assistance using an artificial myocardium with parallel-linked configuration, and therefore it was indicated that the effective ventricular mechanical support could be performed by the device.