This article describes comparative studies of a newly developed "straight path" centrifugal pump (Capiox centrifugal pump) targeted for open-heart surgery and circulatory support. A unique straight path design of the rotor was very effective in reducing the pump's rotational speed and prime volume. This pump was evaluated for hydraulics, hemolysis, depriming characteristics, cavitation, and heat generation. Two commercially available centrifugal pumps, the Biomedicus cone-type pump and the Sarns 3M impeller-type pump, were used as controls. The new pump required the lowest pump speed to produce the same flow rates under the same pressure loads and demonstrated the lowest hemolysis and the lowest temperature rise with the outlet clamped. The air volume required to deprime the new pump was one-third to one-half that for the other pumps, and no sign of cavitation was observed even if a small amount of air was introduced to the pump inlet under a negative pressure of 200 mm Hg.