Inductive transcutaneous energy transfer for cardiac assist devices – pushing the limits

Kirchner J, Ebel N, Kinner S, Fischer G, Werner S, Schubert DW, Weyand M (2018)


Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Conference contribution, Abstract of a poster

Publication year: 2018

Event location: Erlangen DE

Abstract

Background / Purpose
Power supply is an essential component of active implants. To provide energy across the skin barrier, inductive energy transfer is well established in low-power devices like Cochlea implants. However, current designs are not applicable to high-power implants like cardiac assist devices due to strong tissue heating, caused by local spots of high magnetic field strength associated with large heat dissipation. Here, we propose a system design that overcomes this problem.

Methods
To avoid the “hot spots”, the magnetic field is guided and thus homogenized by composite coil cores based on liquid silicon rubber (LSM), which permits to design appropriate gradients of permeability. Furthermore, the frequency is kept below 1 MHz to reduce dielectric losses within the body. LSM is a biocompatible material, whose flexibility allows adaption to the body surface to minimize the gap between extracorporeal and implanted coil. For analysis and optimization of coil and coil core design, the FEM software COMSOL Multiphysics® 5.3 was used.

Results
The simulations showed that with the proposed coil and coil core design the magnetic fields can be homogenized such that 24 W can be transferred with an efficiency of 98.8% and a temperature increase in the tissue of only 0.8°C.

Conclusions
These findings suggest the possibility to make inductive energy transfer applicable also for high‑power active implants such as ventricular assist devices, reducing the number of complications of VAD-patients.

Authors with CRIS profile

How to cite

APA:

Kirchner, J., Ebel, N., Kinner, S., Fischer, G., Werner, S., Schubert, D.W., & Weyand, M. (2018). Inductive transcutaneous energy transfer for cardiac assist devices – pushing the limits. Poster presentation at 22. Chirurgische Forschungstage, Erlangen, DE.

MLA:

Kirchner, Jens, et al. "Inductive transcutaneous energy transfer for cardiac assist devices – pushing the limits." Presented at 22. Chirurgische Forschungstage, Erlangen 2018.

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