Soft heart silicone weighs 390 grams.
Scientists from the Swiss higher technological school in Zurich created a prototype of a soft artificial heart. The researchers made the method of casting: printed mold, which is then placed in liquid silicone. About the development of scientists reported in the journal Artificial Organs.
The volume of the prototype amounted to 679 cubic centimeters, weight — 390 grams (average values — 253 and 332 grams in women and men respectively). Despite the greater weight, the structure of the artificial organ is consistent with this: it consists of the left and right chambers with valves, from which depart the tube, playing the role of the aorta, upper Vena cava, inferior Vena cava and pulmonary veins. Pumping fluid and reduce are provided by air pumps. In the framework of tests, scientists simulated different load levels: at a frequency of 80 beats per minute the implant is passed a fluid (its viscosity was close to that of blood) at a rate of 2.2 liters per minute (about half that needed).
Average pulse pressure in the aorta — the difference between the systolic push, and diastolic — when it reached 48 mm Hg, which is consistent with the target value (30-50 mm Hg). Thus, the prototype is fully reproduced the work of a true heart. It is noted that due to the used material it was short-lived: in conditions close to real, the implant was kept about three thousand cuts — normally less than an hour. However, according to the authors, the experiment points to a promising technology. In the near future they will continue to improve the method for extending the service life of the device.
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