Swiss researchers have developed an artificial aorta that allows the heart to pump energy-saving blood through the body. They hope that this will delay heart transplants or even make them superfluous. According to a statement from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), more than 23 million people worldwide suffer from heart failure. With this disease, the heart is no longer able to perform well enough to pump enough blood around the body.
Aorta made of silicone
The gold standard of treatment is currently a transplant. But donor hearts are rare. Scientists from EPFL and the University of Bern have now made progress on an alternative treatment method that they use in the “Advanced Science” magazine imagine. The team developed a tiny, artificial aorta made of silicone with electrodes. The idea is to implant these one day directly behind a patient’s natural aortic valve.
Experiments in a simulator showed that the energy used by the organ could be reduced by 5.5 percent. The highlight: If an electrical voltage is applied, the artificial tube expands so that the blood can flow through it more easily. According to the announcement, the team has now applied for a patent for the development.
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