Aortic Assist: Self-sensing, patient-specific aortic models for evaluation of high-potential soft-robotic technologies for aortic counter pulsation

Despite major improvements in management and medical technologies, current treatment options for patients with heart failure (HF) are insufficient. Counter-pulsation therapy is a clinically established method to support the cardiovascular system of patients with HF.

Still, its use remains limited to the short term because of insufficient mechanistic understanding of counter-pulsation, concerns about thromboembolic complications and the need for pneumatic actuation.

I hypothesize that extra-aortic counter-pulsation could serve as a safe longer-term treatment option for patients with HF.

My previous work has shown impressive improvements in hemodynamics upon soft robotic pneumatic extra-aortic counter-pulsation in-vivo.

In the proposed work, I will demystify the underlying physiological mechanism using self-sensing aortic phantoms, characterize blood flow disturbances induced by clinical counter-pulsation devices using 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging, and design an electrohydraulic soft robotic actuation principle omitting the need for a pneumatic driveline.

A successful completion of the project will  increase our mechanistic understanding of counter-pulsation, result in a highly physiological testing rig for cardiac devices, and lay the foundation for the development of a novel assist technology to treat patients with HF in the longer term. In this way, I advance the field of cardiac support and impact the survival and quality of life of patients with HF.