Custom heart pump could transform heart failure care

A team of Monash engineers is reimagining what’s possible in heart failure treatment, developing a custom heart pump that could finally offer mechanical support for patients who’ve never had it.

The innovation targets heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), a major yet under-addressed condition where the heart muscle becomes stiff, making it harder for the heart to fill properly between beats.

“This major heart failure condition - known as HFpEF - has no dedicated mechanical circulatory support, leaving over half of all heart failure patients without a mechanical support option,” says Nina Langer, lead author and PhD researcher in Mechanical Engineering.

Nina continues “Most of these patients have a heart that’s stiff, with thickened walls and a smaller ventricle. This means standard ventricular assist devices don’t fit well and can even cause harm.”

Published in Annals of Biomedical Engineering, the study proposes a new heart pump design that could improve blood flow, reduce cardiac strain and serve as a vital bridge to transplant or even as a long-term solution.

Hear more from Nina about her research

Read the full article here.