Development of a novel sutureless inflow cannula for ventricular assist device implantation

Heart failure affects an estimated 26 million people worldwide, and at any one time 300,000 Australians. Whilst the gold standard treatment for heart failure is heart transplantation, a shortage of donor hearts limits the availability of this lifesaving intervention. Mechanical circulatory support devices offer a promising alternative treatment for not only patients on the transplantation waiting list, but also as a destination therapy for patients who are not eligible for transplantation. Ventricular assist devices (VADs) are a form of mechanical circulatory support used to support the function of the failing heart when the heart is unable to maintain adequate cardiac output. Most commonly a VAD will work in parallel with the native left ventricle (LV), with inflow cannula implantation performed through the apex of the LV and secured to the epicardium with a suture ring. Common complications of VAD implantation and support, such as surgical bleeding, can be attributed in part to inflow cannula design or placement. Extended time on cardiopulmonary bypass (utilised during VAD implantation) is also associated with inferior postoperative outcomes. To address the complications influenced by extended surgical time, and inflow cannula design and placement, Shaun Gregory developed a novel sutureless cannula through his doctoral research. The cannula was introduced in a chapter of his thesis and awarded a provisional patent (now lapsed). Gregory’s research involved the design and manufacture of a proof-of-concept device, and its implantation within cadaveric hearts connected to an ex-vivo mock circulation loop that evaluated the ability of the device to provide a blood-tight seal through the compression of the myocardium between the internal and external components. In 2016 a paper was published that evaluated different inflow cannula tip geometries for thrombus risk within an in-silico heart model, from the same research group. One of the five cannulae modelled had an infe
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Eng & Built Env
Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology
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