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The
heart, a large hollow muscle, first pumps the blood into the lungs,
where it is enriched with oxygen (right-hand side of the heart, lung or
pulmonary circulation), and then to the entire body (left-hand side of
the heart, body or “systemic” circulation). 
Both
halves of the heart each comprise an atrium, in which the blood first
collects, and a ventricle (main chamber of the heart) which then
receives the blood. The ventricle then contracts and presses the blood
out of the heart and into the blood vessels. When the left ventricle
contracts, it causes the pressure of blood flowing into the blood
vessels to vary in a wave-like manner. This pressure wave is the pulse
which can be felt.The implanted INCOR® components
As the name may suggest, ventricular assist devices, like INCOR® relieve
the heart from the main strain, but do not replace it. The own heart
remains in the body and still performs a small part of the job. The
left ventricular assist device (LVAD) produces the necessary blood flow
for the blood supply of the body, which cannot be exercised by the sick
left side of the heart. The right side of the heart though remains
exclusively responsible for the easier perfusion of the lung.
With
INCOR®, the blood flows from the left-hand ventricle through the inflow
cannula into an electronically-driven pumping device and from there
through the outflow cannula into the body’s circulation. The pumping
device consists of a tube, inside of which there is a motor-driven
impeller which rotates and actively transports the blood. The impeller
rotates at a constant speed and transports the blood constantly and
continuously. As opposed to the natural heart, INCOR® does not cause a
pressure wave. 
Depending on how intense the left ventricle of the heart contracts,
either a stronger or a weaker residual pulse can be felt. A weak
residual pulse does not indicate a lower blood flow, however, but shows
that INCOR® has taken over the greater part of the pumping effort.
The pump cable passes from the pump out through theskin and connects to the control unit which is carried outside the body.
The external INCOR® components
The control unit monitors and controls the entire system. A main and a
backup accumulator battery are connected to the control unit. These
supply the system with electrical energy and must remain connected all
the times. Control unit and recharged batteries are constantly to be
with the patient.
What else makes up an INCOR® system:
- a mains power supply unit which can also supply power to the system when necessary
- a battery charger, the “charging unit”, in which you can recharge depleted batteries
- a laptop with a monitoring program installed and which can be connected to the control unit when needed.
