A new state-of-the-art membrane is reportedly able to keep the heart beating forever. Furthermore, the membrane can possibly prevent heart attacks.
Sploid reported the latest state-of-the-art membrane being developed for the purpose of keeping the heart beating forever. The revolutionary electronic membrane is expected to save human's life through keeping its beat at a perfect rate. The membrane had been tested on a rabbit's heart, however, it's not been tested on a human host.
According to Science, the study's objective is to help people with heart failures who are suffering from very limited treatment options. Now, the state-of-the-art membrane with robotic sheath can possibly save the lives of people who are suffering from heart attacks and keep their hearts beating without any danger.
The membrane was made from a soft material that is almost the same as the outer layers of the heart tissues making it easy for blood to be pumped directly. With the use of an array of actuators which then twist and squeeze the heart muscles simultaneously, the blood flows perfectly and have successfully restored the heart function of a pig from 47 percent to 97 percent.
Aside from testing it on a pig's heart, scientists further performed the test on a rabbit's heart. They made a custom shaped membrane to make it precisely fitted on a rabbit's heart. The rabbit's heart was scanned and they created a 3D model with the use of a computer-aided tomography.
Afterward, the scientists manufactured the model using a 3D printer which became the base to mold the membrane. Then, they took the rabbit's heart out, applied the new membrane and surprised when they saw that the heart kept on beating perfectly.
The state-of-the-art membrane was developed by scientists at the University of Illinois at the Urbana-Champaign and Washington University in St. Louis. Meanwhile, scientists plan to use the membrane in human's hearts in the coming 10 to 15 years. Scientists see that the membrane can also sense any heart failures or arrhythmia, where it can apply a high definition therapy, thus prevent the heart attack.
