ABSTRACT
Control systems in ventricular assist devices (VADs) are responsible for maintaining adequate blood flow for circulatory assistance. Although it is well established that VADs significantly improve longevity and quality of life in patients with advanced heart failure, only a small percentage of potentially eligible patients are indicated for a VAD implantation. Physiological control of blood pressure regulation is the main mechanism of the human cardiovascular system that interacts with VAD. The operation of the physiological system is fundamental for understanding, design, and evaluating of performance of VAD control systems. Nowadays, VAD physiological control represents the frontier of knowledge in the control system area. Blood pump speed is the main control variable. The actuation and speed rotation control of the electromechanical actuator are responsible for providing blood flow and pressure to the circulatory system. Clinical studies indicate that patients’ survival and quality of life can be improved by periodic changes in the settings of the blood pump speed value to achieve the ideal hemodynamics for individual physiology. This chapter covers the main aspects of physiological control of pressure regulation in the human body, actuation and speed rotation control of VAD, performance of control systems, in vitro tests, in vivo tests, and clinical application.
