CardiacAssist TandemHeart Control
CardiacAssist, Inc. manufactures an innovative medical device that gives cardiologists and cardiac surgeons a solution for patients requiring circulatory support. In medical emergencies, where the ability of the heart to pump a sufficient amount of blood through the body is compromised, CardiacAssists’ TandemHeart System is designed to take over a large portion of the pumping work normally done by the heart. Cardiac Assist sought the assistance of Design Concepts to redesign the TandemHeart Controller to be a small, truly portable unit.
The Design Concepts’ team provided industrial design solutions as well as mechanical design, packaging and assembly concepts. They began by fully appreciating all use scenarios. Their designs directly addressed and improved usability and human factors. Design solutions focused on the unique needs of a portable system, including the design of: a folding IV bag hanger, an environmentally sealed rotary encoder, specially selected fans and specially designed vent patterns to manage heat dissipation in the small enclosure, unique power cord and line management arrangements, and options for mounting at the patient bedside, on an IV pole or table top. To demonstrate the solutions, a model and prototype unit were developed. The team provided cost-effective solutions meeting environmental standards and production requirements. The portable unit is capable of being carried onto, and secured in, a helicopter. It is durable and able to survive being dropped. It was designed with plastics, aluminum castings and formed metal for low-volume manufacturing.
CardiacAssist reports that the TandemHeart System is used in over 100 health centers in the US. Over 1,300 procedures to assist heart patients have been completed using the TandemHeart System.
