Soft Robot Helps Hearts Squeeze

Nov-26-17 A soft robot able to squeeze only one side of the heart could offer a more effective method of treating heart disorders.

While conventional ventricle assistive devices (VADs) help move blood through the ventricle, the pressure of the device can cause damage to healthy areas of the heart, and also requires the patient take large amounts of anticoagulants.

As an alternative, the new VAD soft robotic sleeve from the teams at Boston’s Children’s Hospital and Harvard was developed for one-sided heart support. The device sits outside the heart, supporting the damaged ventricle by helping it squeeze the blood through the heart’s natural chambers—reducing the need for anticoagulants.

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