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The Function of the Artificial Heart


lindsh23

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As a wannabe cardiothoracic surgeon, I find fluid mechanics of the cardiovascular system to be fascinating. I believe one of the greatest accomplishments in medicine is the ability to implant an artificial heart into a patient, since the heart is such a complex organ and one of the most vital to the function of the body. The intricate physics necessary for an artificial heart to function properly must be precise, and its applications are lifesaving.

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The human heart consists of four chambers: two atria and two ventricles. Blood comes into the right atrium, then is pumped into the right ventricle, which brings the blood to the lungs to be oxygenated. It comes back into the left ventricle, and is then distributed throughout the body by the left atrium. These are all connected by valves, so the cardiovascular system is a one way fluid system powered by the pressure created by heart contractions (diastolic and systolic pressure). Above is the diagram of an artificial heart, which replaces the human heart with four man made chambers replacing the atria and ventricles. Tubes connecting to these chambers supply air to balloon-type structures within the artificial chambers which inflate with air to simulate the pressure created within the chambers as a human heart expands and contracts. Utilizing these balloons, the artificial heart can maintain the pressure needed to constantly force both the oxygenated and the nonoxygenated blood through the body.

What I believe to be the most incredible physics phenomenon of this machine is the way it can receive power externally without any skin penetration. An electronics pack is inserted into the patient's abdomen during surgery. This pack receives power by connecting an external power source to a coil of wire, which creates a magnetic field; this magnetic field then induces a current in a second coil implanted under the skin, which changes the alternating current to a direct and usable current. This way, the chance of infection from wounds in the skin is reduced.

An artificial heart also has many challenges and complications. The heart has to be carefully constructed so that it is incredibly efficient; otherwise, extra power is dissipated as heat, which can damage the tissue surrounding it and be fatal. The mechanism also has to be carefully placed so that it is not displaced by patient movement.

The artificial heart can measure the amount of blood flow, which is important when the patient engages in physical exercise and needs to pump blood faster. The blood flow monitor in the artificial heart uses ultrasound to bounce sound waves off of the

blood cells coming out of the heart, finding the blood flow without any invasive contact.

The use of artificial hearts is absolutely incredible, and the physics behind it is vital and complex. The use of such artificial devices is like "playing god" in medical ethics, but its results are outstanding.

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My dad works with cardiothoracic surgeons! Although he sells the pacemakers and helps with the implants. So it's just my luck that our house is full of boxes of pacemakers... at least we're always prepared.

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