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From: bseymour@houligan.UUCP (Burch Seymour)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Artificial Hearts, A Question
Message-ID: <116@houligan.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 20-Oct-86 15:39:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: houligan.116
Posted: Mon Oct 20 15:39:44 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 22-Oct-86 05:18:21 EDT
Organization: Gould Electronics, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Lines: 22


I just read an article about the Jarvik-7 heart which reminded me of an
old question about artificial blood pumps. Does the human body require a
pulse? That is, could we not substitute a constant pressure pump instead
of the pulsating variety. I realize that the heart pulses, this gives us
the systolic/diastolic values of blood pressure, but does it have to?
It seems that it would be easier to build a constant pressure, fully 
implantable pump.

Anyone out there know of any work/research along these lines. I think the
movie _Threshold_ used a pump of this type. In fact if memory serves, I think
the pump used in the movie was built by Dr Richard Jarvik. And yes, I know,
it's only a movie.


-- 
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  "A nation that beats its swords into plowshares generally ends up
    doing the plowing for one that has kept it swords."  Anon

Burch Seymour -Gould C.S.D. at   ....mcnc!rti-sel!gould!bseymour
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