Low-Profile Wireless Power Systems for Pediatric Mechanical Circulatory Support

Heart failure (HF) affects approximately 12,000-35,000 children (under the age of 19) each year in the United States. Patients that suffer from HF eventually require some form of circulatory support to bridge them to heart transplantation. The development of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) systems, also known as blood pumps, has successfully bridged many adults suffering with HF to heart transplantation. However, while the development of this MCS technology for adults has led to small continuous flow implantable pumps and improved outcomes for these patients, MCS for children has lagged significantly. Nonetheless, the development of implantable continuous flow blood pumps for children is promising. One area for improving full implantability of these devices is the use of wireless powering systems to eliminate the driveline connecting the implanted blood pump to the external power supply. Wireless power systems have decreased the number of driveline-related infections and have improved patient outcomes in adults after pump implantation. However, the components of these systems are too large for children. We propose the development of low-profile wireless power transmitters and receivers to improve the implantability of pediatric blood pumps. We hypothesize that flexible printed circuit board technology coupled with thin-film magnetic alloy materials can lead to efficient yet fully implantable components for wirelessly powering pediatric mechanical circulatory support systems. To achieve this goal, we hope to achieve the following milestones: SPECIFIC AIM #1: Analytically quantify and predict the mutual inductance and coupling between a flexible low-profile transmitter and receiver using a finite element and PSpice-coupled model SPECIFIC AIM #2: Design and fabricate an array of wireless transmitters and receivers to power a pediatric blood pump controller and blood pump SPECIFIC AIM #3: Integrate the wireless power system and blood pump in a mock circulation that mimics the basic physiologic hemodynamics of a pediatric patient with heart failure The use of flexible printed circuit board technology and thin-film magnetic alloy materials can potentially eliminate the need for drivelines that have hindered the implantability of pediatric blood pumps. This can shift the paradigm of pediatric MCS development to more efficient yet small-scale systems. Clinically, wirelessly powered pediatric blood pumps may result in increased patient mobility after pump implantation and decrease hospitalization times while patients wait for a heart transplantation.