This is a groundbreaking innovation designed to support and functionally test human hearts outside the body.
Description
This system integrates a well-known heart support method (Langendorf) into a sophisticated circuit capable of loading and testing the right and/or left ventricles. Its primary goal is to rehabilitate hearts that are otherwise unsuitable for transplantation, thereby increasing the availability of viable hearts for transplant. Additionally, this system can be used to study the physiology of both normal and failing hearts, offering significant advancements in cardiac research and transplantation.
Applications
• Cardiovascular
• Transplantation
• Research
Advantages
The Ex-Vivo Adult Heart Perfusion System offers several unique advantages over existing technologies. Unlike current systems that primarily focus on maintaining heart viability during transport, this system allows for functional testing of the heart’s ventricles. This includes the ability to load either the right or left side of the heart individually, providing detailed insights into cardiac function. Additionally, the system supports echocardiography, enabling structural testing of the heart. These features make it a versatile tool not only for transplantation but also for cardiac research, offering a comprehensive solution that addresses both heart maintenance and functional assessment.
Invention Readiness
The Ex-Vivo Adult Heart Perfusion System is currently at the prototype stage. It has been designed and developed to incorporate both heart support and functional testing capabilities. The next steps in its development include further testing and validation to ensure its efficacy and safety. This will involve extensive trials to demonstrate its ability to rehabilitate donor hearts and its utility in cardiac research. Once validated, the system has the potential to revolutionize the field of heart transplantation and cardiac care, offering a much-needed solution to the shortage of transplantable hearts.
IP Status
https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2021252721A1
