Preface

I would like to dedicate this thesis to the memory of my father Sune Lundbäck, who died in 1980 of an interventricular septum infarction of the heart.

He lived his life for his family and friends and was prepared to sacrifice everything for his sons; my brother and myself.

He was aware of my theories concerning the regulating mode of the ventricular septum, and encouraged me to study the behaviour of his failing heart. During his attacks of severe angina pectoris with pulmonary edema symptoms, I registered the behaviour of the ventricular septum by echocardiography. What I saw, convinced me of the importance of the ventricular septums function, in maintaining balance between the right and the left circulatory loops.

Before my father finally died of pulmonary edema and ventricular fibrillation, his last words were "you must do something to prevent this terrible thing". These words still ring in my ears and I hope that this thesis will provoke a discussion of the pumping and the regulating mode of the heart. This discussion could hopefully contribute, to the prevention of unnecessary suffering in heart failure.

We have made a lot of research and development, based on my thesis, the last ten years. For example, a new type of pump type have been developed: delta-V pumps. A model that simulates the function of the human body, called "The Circulation Model" has been created. This mode, and comparisions of different types of pumps (and their similarities to the human heart), are described in chapter 10.