BACKGROUND A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is normally contraindicated in significant aortic regurgitation (AR) and requires intraoperative valve repair or exclusion. Nevertheless, AR can coexist with an LVAD, so a valid question when asked might still be of clinical significance. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of valve regurgitation on the pumping efficacy of conti...

• A great variety of mathematical and physical models of the human arterial system has been introduced, since the start of investigations in this field, with the dual purpose of gaining a better quantitative understanding of arterial performance and deriving clinical information in cases that deviate from normal." They can basically be divided in two groups: the "windkessel" models, the main ch...

The non-invasive quantification of arterial wave reflection is an increasingly important concept in cardiovascular research. It is commonly based on pulse wave analysis (PWA) of aortic pressure. Alternatively, wave separation analysis (WSA) considering both aortic pressure and flow waveforms can be applied. Necessary estimates of aortic flow can be measured by Doppler ultrasound or provided by ...

The differences in shape between central aortic pressure (P(Ao)) and flow waveforms have never been explained satisfactorily in that the assumed explanation (substantial reflected waves during diastole) remains controversial. As an alternative to the widely accepted frequency-domain model of arterial hemodynamics, we propose a functional, time-domain, arterial model that combines a blood conduc...

The passive mechanical properties of the dorsal aorta and the vena cava of Octopus vulgaris were investigated in vitro. Both vessels are highly distensible structures that exhibit non-linear elasticity, but have substantially different material properties. The volume compliance of each vessel is maximal within the resting physiological pressure range (2-3 kPa in the aorta and 0-0.5 kPa in the v...

For a given cardiac function, the cyclic blood pressure (BP) curve results from 2 different phenotypes: the mean arterial pressure (MAP), a steady component reflecting the resistance of the microvascular network, and pulse pressure (PP), another component corresponding to large artery stiffness and wave reflections. Around birth, cardiovascular (CV) survival is critically influenced by the coup...