The Holland Hybrid Heart (HHH) consortium brings together universities, higher professional education, companies and patient organisations. The Dutch pulmonary hypertension association Stichting Pulmonale Hypertensie is part of this consortium.
The consortium has been awarded a grant of 11 million euros from the National Science Agenda for its research on a soft implantable robotic heart for people with severe heart failure.
Cardiothoracic surgeon Jolanda Kluin, of the Erasmus MC Thorax Centre, leads the collaboration. Kluin says the aim is “to offer patients a good and viable alternative to transplantation with a natural heart.” Kluin was inspired for this research by the work of engineer Bas Overvelde, scientific group leader at AMOLF and TU/e, who works with robots made of soft and flexible materials that can respond to changes in their environment. The inner lining of the hybrid heart is made of cells from the patient himself.
The Chair of the Stichting Pulmonale Hypertensie, Louise Bouman van der Waal, says that the Dutch PH Association was engaged in the initial phases of this project. “In 2021, we participated in a patient forum. We find the Holland Hybrid Heart project particularly intriguing because it holds promise as an alternative for individuals with end-stage PH. Instead of resorting to a lung transplant, this robotic heart could potentially replace the damaged heart. One of the possible advantages of this robotic heart is its ability to strengthen the right side of the heart, and could thus prevent heart failure while efficiently pumping blood to the lungs. This project is highly innovative, and it’s inspiring to witness the collaborative efforts of various professionals and companies coming together to work on such a remarkable and hopeful endeavour!”
Read more at this link on the website of the Dutch Cardiovascular Alliance
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