A soft robotic total artificial hybrid heart
End-stage heart failure is a deadly disease. Current total artificial hearts (TAHs) carry high mortality and morbidity and offer low quality of life. To overcome current biocompatibility issues, we propose the concept of a soft robotic, hybrid (pumping power comes from soft robotics, innerlining from the patient's own cells) TAH. The device features a pneumatically driven actuator (septum) between two ventricles and is coated with supramolecular polymeric materials to promote anti-thrombotic and tissue engineering properties. In vitro, the Hybrid Heart pumps 5.7 L/min and mimics the native heart's adaptive function. Proof-of-concept studies in rats and an acute goat model demonstrate the Hybrid Heart's potential for clinical use and improved biocompatibility. This paper presents the first proof-of-concept of a soft, biocompatible TAH by providing a platform using soft robotics and tissue engineering to create new horizons in heart failure and transplantation medicine.
Authors
- Matteo Cianchetti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9016-8039)
- Patricia Y. W. Dankers (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8997-181X)
- Carlijn V. C. Bouten (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1035-5094)
- Johannes T. B. Overvelde (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0253-0147)
- Lucas C. van Laake (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1366-8969)
- Maziar Arfaee
- Jolanda Kluin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5942-4727)
- Debora Zrinscak (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3644-0951)
- Anthal I.P.M. Smits (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3665-7106)
- Annemijn Vis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2343-5686)
- Lucrezia Lorenzon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7328-9015)
- Andreas Henseler
- Paul A. A. Bartels
- Dina M. Ibrahim
Institutions
- Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna (IT)
- Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics (NL)
- Merz (Germany) (DE)
- Amsterdam University Medical Centers (NL)
- Eindhoven University of Technology (NL)
- University of Amsterdam (NL)
- Erasmus University Rotterdam (NL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2025-06-03
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60372-6
- Citations
- 5
- Primary Topic
- Soft Robotics and Applications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.37
Funders
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Amsterdam University Medical Centers
- European Commission
- Universiteit Maastricht
- Hartstichting
- Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
- Maastricht Universitair Medisch Centrum
- Horizon 2020 Framework Programme