Projektbeschreibung
Neue Sichtweise auf den Herzklappenersatz
Herzklappenprothesen helfen Personen mit Herzerkrankungen, aber sie haben auch ihre Tücken. Einige aus tierischem Gewebe hergestellte Klappen halten nicht lange, während bei anderen die Erkrankten lebenslang Arzneimittel einnehmen müssen. Vor diesem Hintergrund lautet das Ziel des ERC-finanzierten Projekts StreamlineValve, den Blutfluss durch polymere Herzklappen zu verbessern und so die durch den Fluss bedingte Thrombose zu verringern. Ihr patentiertes Design für polymere Herzklappen verändert die Strömungsfelder, um die Gerinnungsfaktoren zu minimieren, wie in vitro erfolgreich nachgewiesen wurde. Durch das Projekt wird ein Umdenken versprochen: langlebige Klappen ohne lebenslange Medikation, die mittels Transkatheterverfahren implantiert werden. StreamlineValve birgt das Potenzial, die Herzklappenprothetik zu revolutionieren, indem es Langlebigkeit, verbesserte Lebensqualität und erhöhte Patientensicherheit bietet.
Ziel
Prosthetic Heart Valves (HV), both biological (BHV) and mechanical (MHV), have improved the survival rate and the quality of life of valvular heart-disease patients over the last six decades. While BHVs, taken from animal tissue, show improved hemodynamics, their durability is limited, whereas MHVs can last a patient's entire lifetime but require lifetime anticoagulation medication to reduce thrombotic complications. Future Polymeric HVs (PHV) hold the potential for enhanced durability compared to BHVs, while potentially avoiding the necessity for anticoagulation therapy that MHVs demand. However, the problem of flow-related thrombosis in PHVs remains a critical challenge.
Generally, flow-related thrombosis complications can be avoided by altering the flow field around the PHV, such as reducing vortices and circulatory hemodynamic structures as well as decreasing shear stresses which can lead to platelet activation. Inspired by passive flow control in nature and in the aerodynamics industry, where manipulation of fluid flow via a small configuration change provides large engineering benefits in swimming or flying, we aim to use a flow control strategy to optimize blood flow through PHVs. More specifically, in StreamlineValve, we present a new, patented, PHV that is designed to alter the flow field around the valve in a manner that reduces the primary factors contributing to coagulation on PHVs. We have already successfully demonstrated this concept in vitro in a modified MHV. In this PoC, we propose to extend this to the future of prosthetic valves via a flow controlled PHV that can be implanted via a simple transcatheter procedure avoiding undesired surgical procedures. Altogether, StreamlineValve represents a paradigm shift in the realm of prosthetic HVs, offering the potential to enhance valve longevity, quality of life, and patient safety.
Wissenschaftliches Gebiet
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineangiologyvascular diseases
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugs
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesclassical mechanicsfluid mechanicsfluid dynamics
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicinesurgerysurgical procedures
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringaeronautical engineering
Schlüsselbegriffe
Programm/Programme
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Thema/Themen
Finanzierungsplan
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept GrantsGastgebende Einrichtung
32000 Haifa
Israel