Current devices for undergoing research evaluation include:

• Replacement Mechanical Hearts:  Complex, motor-driven, pulsatile blood pumps that are electrically powered (internal battery), fully implantable and can take over the functioning of both ventricles after the natural heart is removed.

• Pulsatile Ventricular Assist Devices:  Electrically powered blood pumps attached to the natural heart to augment its pumping capacity. These pumps can allow an injured heart to recover, at which time they can be removed; or they can remain in place, allowing the patient to get stronger while waiting for a suitable donor heart to become available.

• Continuous-Flow Ventricular Assist Devices, also called Axial Flow Pumps:  Very small blood pumps (3 inches by 1 inch in some types) that work by a magnetic impeller that rotates at incredible speeds, powering the continuous flow of blood.  These heart assist devices can allow the patient to recover or wait for a suitable donor heart to become available.

• Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumps:  Small balloons placed in the aorta via a catheter inserted in a leg artery. The balloon augments the blood flow by sequentially inflating and deflating. These pumps are used temporarily until a heart assist device or a replacement heart is implanted or until the natural heart recovers adequate function.

• Biofeedback Sensors:  Microscopic medical sensors that can be embedded in human tissue and in smart bio-adaptive heart devices to measure blood pressure, blood flow, oxygen saturation or other physiologic variables. Microsensors will enable bio-adaptive technologies to provide functional data and make automatic adjustments in device performance without alarming the patient. The data generated by the biofeedback sensors will be converted to diagnostic information available to the patient and to the physician and will further advance medical research and improve quality of life for patients.

• Other Bio-Adaptive Heart Innovations:  The institute may also be involved in the development and testing of other related bio-adaptive heart innovations such as combination therapies based on molecular cardiology research, pacemakers, replacement heart valves, vascular grafts, monitoring sensors, diagnostic equipment, computer programs to run automated medical devices, surgical procedures, implantable cardiac defibrillators, surgical instruments and wearable computers to help manage patient information.