Is the end of donor transplants in sight? Scientists create a 3D-printed silicone artificial heart that beats like the real organ A soft, artificial heart has been created using pioneering 3D printing technology Made out of silicone, it is said to imitate a human heart 'in form and function' However, the prototype lasts for about only 3,000 beats – or 30 to 45 minutes Countless lives are lost each year because of a global shortage of heart donors The Swiss inventors are working on further improving their model Heart transplants that do not require a human donor are a step closer after scientists 3D-printed a soft, artificial heart made of silicone. It closely imitates a human heart 'in form and function', according to its Swiss developers. heart disease remains the number one killer worldwide, causing 17.3 million deaths each year – a problem exacerbated by a global shortage of heart donors. A custom-made artificial heart would be an invaluable medical advancement that could save countless lives. However, scientists still have one problem to conquer: the prototype currently lasts for only around 3,000 beats – or 30 to 45 minutes. A prototype 3D-printed silicone heart closely imitates the real thing 'in form and function' The researchers behind the artificial heart, from ETH Zurich in Switzerland, are working on further improving the performance of their new invention. 'Our goal is to develop an artificial heart that is roughly the same size as the patient's own one and which imitates the human heart as closely as possible in form and functon,' said Nicholas Cohrs, a doctoral student on the team. Contracts like a human heart Weighing 90 grams (13.8 ounces), the silicone heart is slightly heavier but around the same size as a human heart. It features left and right ventricles or chambers, just like a human heart, as well as an extra chamber that drives the external pump – replacing the muscle contraction of the human heart. Progress: Weighing 90 grams (13.8 ounces), the silicone heart is slightly heavier but around the same size as a human heart Drawback: The prototype currently lasts for only around 3,000 beats – or 30 to 45 minutes Pressurised air inflates and deflates this third chamber, designed to pump blood through the ventricles – during testing, a liquid with the same viscosity of blood was used. Scientists hope the invention will one day replace mechanical pumps – used while people recover from heart failure or wait for a donated heart to become available – which are at risk of failure or causing complications in patients. A new direction To produce a viable artificial organ that can actually save lives, the life of this artificial heart would need to extended and the strength of its material significantly improved. But the development of a soft, 3D-printed heart beating like a human one is a promising development in the medical world. Big killer: heart disease remains the number one killer worldwide, causing 17.3 million deaths each year – a problem exacerbated by a global shortage of heart donors The invention has raised hopes it will one day replace mechanical pumps which can fail 'This was simply a feasibility test,' says Dr Cohrs. 'Our goal was not to present a heart ready for implantation, but to think about a new direction for the development of artificial hearts.' 'As a mechanical engineer, I would never have thought that I would ever hold a soft heart in my hands,' said Anastasios Petrou who was also involved in the research. 'I'm now so fascinated by this research.' The research was published in the journal Artificial Organs. In action: The artificial heart undergoes a battery of tests as it tries to replicate the human form THE 3D PRINTING REVOLUTION Using 3D printers create customised replacement body parts is revolutionising medicine. Three years ago, surgeons in China successfully implanted an artificial 3D-printed vertebra into a 12-year-old bone cancer patient to help him walk again. Doctors at Peking University Hospital in Beijing first removed a tumour located in the second vertebra of the boy's neck. And last month, it was announced advanced 3D printed bionic hands for child amputees could be available in Britain on the NHS following a world first trial. Thanks to pioneering technology, better and more affordable prosthetics are on the horizon which would transform the lives of young patients. The current options available free on the NHS – which include plastic moulded limbs with hooks – are branded 'medieval' or 'prehistoric' by many. Robotic hands with multi-grip functionality are available privately, but the price tag of £3,000 to £60,000 ($4,696 to $93,930) makes them too expensive for most. But that all that could change now 3D printing has brought the cost of high tech arms to under £5,000. Source
