Development of a prototype pericardial left ventricular assist device
Heart failure affects hundreds of thousands of people in the UK. It occurs when the heart lacks the power to pump strongly, so oxygen isn’t circulated quickly enough to keep up with the body’s demands. This is a debilitating condition and life expectancy is poor. Some patients can be surgically fitted with a machine to help the heart pump, but surgery carries risks. This team of cardiologists and engineers have developed a prototype for a new kind of ‘ventricular assist device’ – a machine to help the failing heart pump more powerfully. An exciting feature of their device is that it doesn’t require major surgery to be fitted. With a small incision and the use of a catheter, it can be inserted into the chest wall. Once in position, a balloon inflates and deflates in time with the heartbeat, to help eject blood from the heart more powerfully. Initial tests in pig hearts have been promising. Now the team will undertake detailed assessments of the safety and effectiveness of the device in pigs. If their results are positive the next step will be a ‘first-in-man’ trial of the machine, giving hope that this could become a treatment option for many more people with heart failure.
Project details
| Grant amount | £264,345 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Translational |
| Application type | Translational Award |
| Start Date | 01 October 2017 |
| Duration | 2 years |
| Reference | TG/17/1/33053 |
| Status | In Progress |
