Quick Connects

Preliminary Concepts

Quick Connects - Tube and Stopper

The overarching concept is to have two types of quick connects that interface with the heart arteries in the same way.  The first type is being termed "tube" which will be connected to the pump and the second is being termed "stopper" which will be connected to the arteries that we are not pumping fluid to, to prevent leakages.

Suturing - The Current Method

The current method is to sew a tube that connects to an IV into one artery of the heart, and sew the rest of the arteries shut to avoid leakage.

A con is that this method is too time consuming.

Sewable Quick Connects

This is a variant of the suturing concept except that our special quick connects would be sewn to every artery as oppose to suturing shut some of the arteries.

This method doesn't appear to give us much advantage time wise.

Quick Connect with A Hose Clamp

This concept involves a clamp that is placed around the artery and tube.  This hose clamp has the potential to make the connection tight without ruining the artery.

 

Adhesive

This concept uses some sort of adhesive that will make the arteries stick tightly to the walls of the quick connects.

One of the major difficulties in this concept is determing which adhesive would work for this method.

Expanding Quick Connect

This concept involves the disconnect being made out of a material that will expand with liquid.  It should expand to a maximum diameter that allows the arteries to tightly wrap around the quick connect walls.

Artery Expansion

Depending on the elasticity of the arteries, it may be possible to make the quick connects' diameter just big enough that the artery must stretch over the quick connect to fit.  The thought is that the artery will then contract to allow for a tight fit.

Radiator Style Clamps

This concept, similar to the hose clamp concept, involves a radiator clamp that is placed around the artery and tube.  This radiator clamp has the potential to make the connection tight without ruining the artery.

Simple Tie Line

This concept simply ties the tubing to the artery in place. This concept requires very secure knots.

We plan on performing some tests to determine which method is best.