A simple cardiovascular system model for ventricular assist device development

An electric analog circuit, consisting of the left ventricle as a time-varying capacitance, the systemic circulation as a four-element RLC circuit, the pulmonary circulation as a constant capacitance with a dependent current source, the left atrium as a constant capacitance, and the heart valves as ideal diodes in series with linear resistors has been developed to model the cardiovascular system. By properly choosing the model parameter values, this simple model can simulate the key hemodynamic waveforms accurately. The model performed well in a wide range of physiological conditions in the validation tests. It will be used for developing the physiological controller in a ventricular assist device.