The EXCOR® ventricular assist device practically imitates the function of the human heart. It is a pump causing displacement and operating in a constant rhythm. This is why the system is known as a pulsatile system.

The driving unit (mobile or stationary) rhythmically pumps or rather ingests air into/ out of the air chamber of the pump. Consequently the membrane vaults either in the direction of the air or the blood chamber, causing an overpressure or negative pressure.



Example for biventricular assist

The oxygen lacking blood flows from the body into the right Atrium. As the right ventricle is not able to pump into the pulmonary system, the blood is ingested via a cannula into the right EXCOR® pump and from there it is pumped via another cannula connected to the pulmonary artery into the lung with a slight pressure.

The blood sufficiently supplied with oxygen which flows back from the lung to the heart flows into the left atrium. As the left ventricle is not able to pump the blood into the artery, the blood is ingested from the left ventricle via a cannula into the left EXCOR® pump and is pumped from there via another cannula connected to the artery into the body under high pressure.