Nome insegnamento:          Biomachines (with Laboratory) (ING-IND/34)

N° Crediti:                 10

Obiettivi e contenuti del corso

The course is aimed at providing the students the proper methodology to evaluate and design artificial devices and prostheses interacting with the cardiovascular system. The students will acquire the ability to solve problems related to the interaction of the devices with blood. After an introduction of the basic physiology and energetics of the heart and the circulatory system, the main causes of blood hemolysis and coagulation will be discussed. Particular attention will be devoted to artificial heart valve prostheses and extracorporeal circulation devices in terms of design, adjustment criteria and evaluation of the performances.

Descrizione degli argomenti trattati

Hints about functional anatomy and cardiovascular system physiology. Regulation and control of the cardiovascular system. Energetics of the natural heart. Interaction between the cardiovascular and the artificial systems: hemolysis and coagulation. Design and evaluation criteria of mechanical and biological prosthetic heart valves. Design criteria for extracorporeal circuit devices and choice of the optimal vascular access. Layout of the extracorporeal circuit. Design and optimization of extra-corporeal blood pumps, blood heat exchangers, extracorporeal blood oxygenation devices, blood filters. Some hints about Haemodialysis techniques will be also given.

Practical class activities will deal with the solution of problems related to the design and setting of the studied Biomachines. Also laboratory activities will be planned to allow the students to focus the experimental evaluation of the studied devices and the related instrumentation.

The final exam will consist in a written test followed by an oral examin.