The president of APEX Medical Incorporation has announced that the company has developed a blood pressure sensor that will allow scientists to develop implantable heart pumps for long-term use. The pumps, referred to as ventricular assist devices (VAD), will solve the problems associated with the chronic shortage of donor organs and will improve the quality of life and increase the life span of millions of people. The sensor uses physiological inputs from the body to control the speed of rotary pumps, until now pumps have relied upon indirect measurements to control pump performance. The new technology means that VADs will be able to immediately and accurately adjust their pumping rates in response to patient activity.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.devicelink.com 19th September 2000
