Total artificial hearts (TAH) and biventricular assist devices (BiVAD) are the current treatment strategies for severe biventricular failure or right ventricular dysfunction after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Clinically available TAH or BiVAD are either large, of limited durability, or associated with hemocompatibility-related adverse events. Consequently, the need for long-term, durable options poses a persistent challenge in treating these patients.
A novel valveless pulsatile TAH system - the ShuttlePump - has recently been introduced to address the unmet medical need in patients with biventricular failure. ShuttlePump, with its innovative pumping principle, can potentially overcome the limitations associated with the current state-of-the-art mechanical circulatory support devices. The pumping principle utilizes a synchronized rotational and translational piston motion within a cylindrical housing to simultaneously support systemic and pulmonary circulation. The pump utilizes the hydrodynamic bearing principle to have contactless motion, and the motion was realized through an electromagnetic drive unit.
Figure 1: Methods involved in the development phase of the ShuttlePump TAH
In collaboration with our partners, we have demonstrated the early feasibility of this novel pumping concept. Figure 1 illustrates the various methods involved in the development phase of the pump, including designing the pump geometries using computer-aided design (CAD) software, calculating the bearing, conducting numerical simulations for hydraulics and hemocompatibility through computational fluid dynamics (CFD), performing in silico evaluations of anatomical compatibility using virtual fitting techniques, assessing hydraulic characteristics with benchtop test setups, and prototyping the device. Currently, our focus is on developing a fully functional prototype and further evaluating the hemocompatibility of the ShuttlePump through in vitro blood experiments.
The project is funded by the SPARK-BIH program from the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
Research Group Leader
ap. Prof. Marcus Granegger, PhD
PhD Candidates
Cooperation partners:
- Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité, Institute of Computer-assisted Cardiovascular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
- Power Electronic Systems Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Publications
Rosario V. Giuffrida, Andreas Horat, Dominik Bortis, Tim Bierewirtz, Krishnaraj Narayanaswamy, Marcus Granegger, and Johann W. Kolar, "Linear-Rotary Position Control System With Enhanced Disturbance Rejection for a Novel Total Artificial Heart," in IEEE Open Journal of the Industrial Electronics Society, vol. 5, pp. 359-375, 2024, doi: 10.1109/OJIES.2024.3385865.
Rosario V. Giuffrida, Raffael Senti, Dominik Bortis, Tim Bierewirtz, Krishnaraj Narayanaswamy, Marcus Granegger, and Johann W. Kolar, "Design and Realization of a Highly Compact Tubular Linear Actuator for a Novel Total Artificial Heart," in IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Industrial Electronics, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 1010-1023, Oct. 2023, doi: 10.1109/JESTIE.2023.3305939.
Rosario V. Giuffrida, Raffael Senti, Dominik Bortis, Tim Bierewirtz, Krishnaraj Narayanaswamy, Marcus Granegger, and Johann W. Kolar, "Spatially Highly Constrained Auxiliary Rotary Actuator for a Novel Total Artificial Heart," in IEEE Open Journal of the Industrial Electronics Society, vol. 4, pp. 732-747, 2023, doi: 10.1109/OJIES.2023.3339838.
Tim Bierewirtz, Krishnaraj Narayanaswamy, Rosario Giuffrida, Tim Rese, Dominik Bortis, Daniel Zimpfer, Johann W. Kolar, Ulrich Kertzscher, and Marcus Granegger, "A Novel Pumping Principle for a Total Artificial Heart," in IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, vol. 71, no. 2, pp. 446-455, Feb. 2024, doi: 10.1109/TBME.2023.3306888.