Company Profile

Windmill Cardiovascular Systems, Inc (WCS) is a privately funded medical device company developing an advanced class of intelligent Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) for the treatment of heart failure. Anchored in patent licensed fromthe University of Texas, the company's system is designed to monitor physiological parameters from which to make smart adjustments on the fly in order to deliver synchronized pulsatile ejections while avoiding the problems inherent in continuous flow devices such as ventricular collapse and aortic valve fusion. Windmill Cardiovascular’s Toroidal Ventricular Assist Device (TORVAD™) features a miniaturized fully implantable valveless pulsatile pump that synchronizes with the native heartbeat and continuously adapts to changes in physiological needs to restore healthy blood flows and potentially accelerate myocardial recovery. Capable of pumping over 6.5 liters per minute, the TORVAD™ system carefully monitors physiological parameters to make smart adjustments on the fly in order to deliver synchronized pulsatile ejections while avoiding the problems inherent in continuous flow devices such as ventricular collapse and aortic valve fusion. By restoring the circulation’s natural pulsatility the TORVAD™ can improve end-organ perfusion, and reduce cerebral hemorrhaging, thromboembolism, and gastrointestinal bleeding associated with continuous flow devices. The TORVAD’s™ patented valveless design and actuation mechanism overcome the major weaknesses of pulsatile assist devices, namely large size, mechanical valve failure, and thromboembolism due to poor pump washout. The pump’s small, lightweight, and valveless construction allow it to be implanted in positions previously unavailable to many pulsatile assist devices, increasing range of use while decreasing surgical recovery time. 20 acute animal experiments have been performed in which the advantages of synchronized pulsatile flows were successfully demonstrated against a continuous flow pump. These findings were published in a peer-reviewed journal paper. Following this success, chronic animal tes