Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development

The goals of the center are to develop a magnetically suspended centrifugal blood pump to be used as continuous-flow ventricular assist device for nearly all sizes of human patients.

A prototype continuous flow ventricular assist device (CVAD2), which has all-electromagnetic bearings has been designed and developed. The centrifugal blood pump is gentle to the blood and is suspended in magnetic bearings. The pump output (rotor speed) is readily controlled to meet the physiologic needs of the patient. This device can pump blood over a wide range of cardiac output from 1 to 10 liters/min, effectively satisfying the physiological needs and excellent blood flow dynamics.

• The center received the Sezai Innovative Research Award at the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps in 1995.

• MedQuest