Development and Implementation of a Project Using IoMT Technology for Monitoring, Remote Control, and Tracking of a Left Ventricular Assist Device: Reduction of Adverse Events Caused by Malfunction Leading to Critical and Catastrophic Failures
- 1 Department of Biomedical Engineering, FATEC, Osasco, São Paulo, Brazil
- 2 Department of Biomedical Engineering, FATEC, Osasco, São Paulo, Brazil
- 3 Department of Informatics, FATEC, Praia Grande, São Paulo, Brazil
- 4 Department of Biomedical Engineering, FATEC, Osasco, São Paulo, Brazil
- 5 Department of Mechatronics and Mechanical Systems, Universidade de São Paulo, USP, São Paulo, Brazil
Abstract
Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs) have emerged as an effective alternative in destination therapy, offering increased longevity to implanted patients. However, survival rates remain a concern, with only 49% of patients surviving after four years of use, mainly due to adverse events, including critical or catastrophic failures caused by device malfunction. This study presents partial results from a project aimed at developing and implementing IoMT technologies for the monitoring, remote control, and georeferenced tracking of VADs, targeting the early detection of critical and catastrophic failures. Tests will be conducted using an automated bench setup with blood pump or VAD prototypes, enabling the construction of performance curves and the execution of reliability and risk analyses to improve prototype designs. The initial prototypes will be manufactured using PETG, with potential future upgrades to metal versions, and will be equipped with magnetic motors, Arduino-controlled drives, and cloud connectivity to assess the efficacy of cloud integration and the use of an application for monitoring data and controlling parameters—initially focusing on speed regulation. The embedded system is expected to remotely adjust operational parameters and detect failures in real time, within the projected efficacy range, by comparing performance data against standard curves and indicating corrective parameter adjustments. Partial results achieved so far include the identification of key technologies used in medical device monitoring and control, as well as the design of the electrical schematic for the main components involved in the monitoring, control, and georeferenced tracking of VADs. These findings contribute to the technological development addressing the proposed research problem.
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