Project Description:

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a life-threatening condition in which the left ventricle (LV) cannot pump blood effectively due to impaired contractility. Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is a life-support technology that removes blood from the venous system, oxygenates it outside the body, and returns it to the arterial system for organ perfusion. VA-ECMO is often the only option for critically ill CS patients who cannot tolerate invasive procedures. Despite its benefits, only 51% of patients survived to discharge, mainly due to increased afterload—the resistance the LV must overcome to eject blood. In patients on VA-ECMO, afterload increases due to continuous retrograde blood flow toward the aortic root. During systole, the compromised LV cannot expel residual blood against this higher pressure, causing blood stasis and LV distension. With a 23-fold increase in VA-ECMO usage since 2002, increased afterload is an imperative problem to solve. CircuFlow, a non-invasive device, reduces afterload during systole and alleviates LV burden, reducing downstream complications.

Project Photo:

CircuFlow, a non-invasive device spliced into the VA-ECMO circuit, reduces afterload and alleviates LV burden.

Claire Chung

Shreeram Sabareesan

Ayan Vaishnav

Gloria Kalnitskaya

Nina Nair

Ramya Palani

Samantha Ho

Michelle Zwernemann

Chetan Pasrija, MD

This work was made possible by the generous support of Dennis Chien, Engr ’84