Developing a Feedback Physiological Control for Ventricular Assist Devices: a Simulation Study

Abstract

Installing and developing a sophisticated control system to optimize Left Ventricular assist devices (LVADs) for heart failure (HF) patients is still an essential task. This paper aimed to introduce and implement an advancement design controller for an LVAD based on the Frank-Starling mechanism (FSM) approach. In this approach, we utilized FSM to create different control lines that represent the cardiovascular system’s preload (CVS). An operating point was assumed to be moved on these lines and demonstrated the patient’s physiological perfusion. The method used the proportional-integral (PI) controller to change the gradient angle between control lines to obtain the target flow. Also, the system used another PI controller to regulate the measured pump flow and target pump flow. A lumped parameter model of the CVS was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed technique. The rest scenario was tested in a variety of physiological conditions that are common in HF patients. The simulation results indicated that the control system was reliable and stable under different physiological states of CVS.