Researchers at MIT have developed a soft, robotic and...
The basis of the device is soft tubes,balloon-like. They are implanted under the diaphragm - a dome-shaped muscle located in the chest cavity, the movements of which ensure normal breathing. The tubes are placed across the diaphragm and attached to the chest on either side of this muscle.
When inflated by an external pump, the tubes actlike artificial muscles, pressing on the diaphragm and helping the lungs expand. In this case, the tubes can be inflated at a frequency corresponding to the natural rhythm of the diaphragm.
Implantable IVL. Image: M. Scott Brauer, MIT
The authors of the work note that such a system is morecorresponds to natural breathing than traditional ventilators. They create positive pressure, which pushes air through the patient's central airways and pumps it into the lungs. The diaphragm, on the other hand, creates negative pressure. When the muscle contracts and pushes down, it forms a "vacuum" into which air is drawn.
Researchers tested the system on pigsunder anesthesia by implanting tubes over the animal's diaphragm and surgically attaching the ends of the tubes to the ribs at both ends of the muscle. They monitored the oxygen levels of the animals and observed their diaphragm function using ultrasound imaging.
Scheme of operation and installation of the device. Image: Lucy Hu et al., Nature Biomedical Engineering
The researchers found that the implantablethe ventilator increases the pigs' tidal volume, or the amount of air the lungs can draw in with each breath. The most significant improvement was observed in cases where the contractions of the diaphragm and artificial muscles were synchronized. In these cases, the fan helped the diaphragm draw in three times as much air.
The developers believe that the device will find wideprimarily used to support the quality of life of people with chronic diaphragmatic dysfunction occurring in people with ALS, muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular diseases.
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