We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Cyborg Cardiac Patch Normalizes Diseased Hearts

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 27 Mar 2016
Print article
Image: Structure of the hybrid cardiac patch (Photo courtesy of Nature Materials).
Image: Structure of the hybrid cardiac patch (Photo courtesy of Nature Materials).
A bionic heart patch combines organic, living tissues and engineered parts to mechanically regulate the human heart.

Developed by researchers at Tel Aviv University (Israel), the hybrid patch integrates cardiac cells with flexible, freestanding, electronics in a three dimensional (3D) nanocomposite scaffold. Robust electronic properties enable recording of cellular electrical activities, and provide on-demand electrical stimulation for synchronizing cell contraction in the engineered tissue. Electroactive polymers that contain biological factors are deposited on designated electrodes, releasing drugs, growth factors, or small molecules into the patch microenvironment when needed.

The new cyborg cardiac patch not only replaces organic tissue; the integration of complex electronics within the cardiac patch will eventually provide therapeutic control and regulation of cardiac function through remote monitoring. Physicians will be able to log onto a computer and access the patient's file in real time. The data, sent remotely from sensors embedded in the engineered tissue, can help the physician assess exactly how the patient is faring. If needed, he can intervene to properly pace the heart and activate drugs from afar. The study was published on March 14, 2016, in Nature Materials.

“Until now, we could only engineer organic cardiac tissue, with mixed results. Now we have produced viable bionic tissue, which ensures that the heart tissue will function properly. It's very science fiction, but it's already here, and we expect it to move cardiac research forward in a big way,” said senior author Prof. Tal Dvir, PhD, of the laboratory for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. “The longer-term goal is for the cardiac patch to be able to regulate its own welfare. In other words, if it senses inflammation, it will release an anti-inflammatory drug; if it senses a lack of oxygen, it will release molecules that recruit blood-vessel-forming cells to the heart.”

Related Links:

Tel Aviv University


Gold Member
Disposable Protective Suit For Medical Use
Disposable Protective Suit For Medical Use
Gold Member
POC Blood Gas Analyzer
Stat Profile Prime Plus
Silver Member
Compact 14-Day Uninterrupted Holter ECG
NR-314P
New
EEG System
BRAIN QUICK

Print article

Channels

Critical Care

view channel
Image: The permeable wearable electronics developed for long-term biosignal monitoring (Photo courtesy of CityUHK)

Super Permeable Wearable Electronics Enable Long-Term Biosignal Monitoring

Wearable electronics have become integral to enhancing health and fitness by offering continuous tracking of physiological signals over extended periods. This monitoring is crucial for understanding an... Read more

Patient Care

view channel
Image: The newly-launched solution can transform operating room scheduling and boost utilization rates (Photo courtesy of Fujitsu)

Surgical Capacity Optimization Solution Helps Hospitals Boost OR Utilization

An innovative solution has the capability to transform surgical capacity utilization by targeting the root cause of surgical block time inefficiencies. Fujitsu Limited’s (Tokyo, Japan) Surgical Capacity... Read more

Health IT

view channel
Image: First ever institution-specific model provides significant performance advantage over current population-derived models (Photo courtesy of Mount Sinai)

Machine Learning Model Improves Mortality Risk Prediction for Cardiac Surgery Patients

Machine learning algorithms have been deployed to create predictive models in various medical fields, with some demonstrating improved outcomes compared to their standard-of-care counterparts.... Read more

Point of Care

view channel
Image: The PATHFAST hs-cTnI-II high-sensitivity troponin assay has been developed for the PATHFAST Biomarker Analyzer (Photo courtesy of Polymedco)

POC Myocardial Infarction Test Delivers Results in 17 Minutes

Chest pain is the second leading cause of emergency department (ED) visits by adults in the United States, generating over 7 million visits annually. In the event of a suspected heart attack, physicians... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.