Evaluation of cardiac function and venous return curves in awake, unanesthetized cialves with an implanted total artificial heart.

1) The implanted TAH offers a method of evaluating the effects of varying physiologic demands cardiac output and venous return. 2) Cardiac output and venous return measurements offer a method of evaluating system design of the device and driving and control-logic improvements in awake, unanesthetized animals. 3) The obtained cardiac function and venous return curves suggest that the present TAH is less responsive to increases in right atrial pressure than the natural heart, but is still completely controlled by venous return. Therefore, it is extremely important to make every effort to eliminate any factor causing excessive venous return.