A soft robotic total artificial hybrid heart

Maziar Arfaee, Annemijn Vis, Paul A. A. Bartels, Lucas C. Laake, Lucrezia Lorenzon, Dina M. Ibrahim, Debora Zrinscak, Anthal I. P. M. Smits, Andreas Henseler, Matteo Cianchetti, Patricia Y. W. Dankers, Carlijn V. C. Bouten, Johannes T. B. Overvelde and Jolanda Kluin ()
Additional contact information
Maziar Arfaee: Erasmus MC Rotterdam
Annemijn Vis: Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam
Paul A. A. Bartels: Eindhoven University of Technology
Lucas C. Laake: AMOLF
Lucrezia Lorenzon: Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna
Dina M. Ibrahim: Eindhoven University of Technology
Debora Zrinscak: Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna
Anthal I. P. M. Smits: Eindhoven University of Technology
Andreas Henseler: Evos GMBH
Matteo Cianchetti: Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna
Patricia Y. W. Dankers: Eindhoven University of Technology
Carlijn V. C. Bouten: Eindhoven University of Technology
Johannes T. B. Overvelde: AMOLF
Jolanda Kluin: Erasmus MC Rotterdam

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract 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.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60372-6 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-60372-6

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60372-6

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().