MIT Engineers Transform Cardiology with Robotic Replica of Right Heart Chamber

MIT engineers have achieved a groundbreaking feat by creating a robotic replica of the heart’s right ventricle, effectively emulating the rhythmic beating and blood-pumping dynamics of live hearts. This innovative robot-ventricle seamlessly integrates real heart tissue with synthetic, balloon-like artificial muscles, providing a unique avenue for scientists to exercise precise control over contractions while closely observing the intricate workings of natural valves and structures.

Beyond its mimicry of healthy states, the artificial ventricle can be fine-tuned to replicate conditions of dysfunction, including scenarios such as pulmonary hypertension and myocardial infarction. This dynamic model serves as a versatile platform for studying and testing cardiac devices, demonstrating its potential by successfully implanting a mechanical valve to address a naturally malfunctioning valve and observing the resultant changes in the ventricle’s pumping mechanism.

The researchers, led by MIT’s Institute for Medical Engineering and Science (IMES), recognize the transformative potential of this robotic right ventricle, or RRV. Beyond its role as a cutting-edge tool for scientific exploration, the RRV presents a promising solution for studying right ventricle disorders and testing innovative therapies designed to treat these conditions effectively. Particularly noteworthy is its potential application in intensive care unit settings, where the right ventricle is susceptible to dysfunction, especially in patients on mechanical ventilation.

Manisha Singh, a postdoc at IMES, emphasizes that the RRV simulator could shed light on the effects of mechanical ventilation on the right ventricle, offering a strategic approach to preventing right heart failure in vulnerable patients.

This groundbreaking research, detailed in an open-access paper in Nature Cardiovascular Research, not only advances our understanding of the intricacies of the right ventricle but also marks a significant leap forward in the development of realistic and functional models for studying cardiac functions.

The combination of real heart tissue and synthetic components addresses the challenge of reproducing the delicate structures inherent in the right ventricle. The team’s meticulous approach involved explanting a pig’s right ventricle, preserving its internal structures, and enveloping it in a synthetic myocardium with embedded balloon-like tubes. These tubes, connected to a control system, simulated the heart’s rhythm and motion, allowing for the realistic observation of internal valves and structures as the ventricle pumped a liquid similar in viscosity to blood.

Moreover, the researchers demonstrated the RRV’s utility in testing cardiac devices by surgically implanting ring-like medical devices to repair the chamber’s tricuspid valve. The RRV accurately simulated tricuspid valve dysfunction, providing an ideal training ground for surgeons and interventional cardiologists to practice new techniques for repairing or replacing the valve before performing these procedures on actual patients.

While the RRV currently simulates realistic function over a few months, ongoing efforts are directed toward extending its performance and collaborating with implantable device designers to expedite prototype testing on the artificial ventricle. Looking ahead, the researchers envision pairing the RRV with a similar artificial, functional model of the left ventricle, ultimately striving towards the creation of a fully tunable, artificial heart—a visionary endeavor that holds promise for transformative advancements in cardiovascular medicine.