Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40461487›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

A soft robotic total artificial hybrid heart.

Maziar Arfaee, Annemijn Vis, Paul A A Bartels, Lucas C van Laake, Lucrezia Lorenzon, Dina M Ibrahim, Debora Zrinscak, Anthal I P M Smits, Andreas Henseler, Matteo Cianchetti and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Soft robotic devices for cardiovascular medicine.Nature reviews. Cardiology · 2026
    Review
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. The Total Artificial Heart: A Historical Perspective.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Maziar Arfaee *Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Thorax Center, Erasmus MC Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4459-5582
Annemijn Vis *Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Paul A A BartelsDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Lucas C van LaakeAutonomous Matter Department, AMOLF, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1366-8969
Lucrezia LorenzonThe BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7328-9015
Dina M IbrahimDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Debora ZrinscakThe BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy.
Anthal I P M SmitsDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3665-7106
Andreas HenselerEvos GMBH, Merzbrück, Germany.
Matteo CianchettiThe BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9016-8039
Patricia Y W DankersDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8997-181X
Carlijn V C BoutenDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1035-5094
Johannes T B OverveldeAutonomous Matter Department, AMOLF, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0253-0147
Jolanda KluinDepartment of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Thorax Center, Erasmus MC Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. j.kluin@erasmusmc.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5942-4727

Funding

EC | Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020) 767195
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

End-stage heart failure is a deadly disease. Current total artificial hearts (TAHs) carry high mortality and morbidity and offer low quality of life. To overcome current biocompatibility issues, we propose the concept of a soft robotic, hybrid (pumping power comes from soft robotics, innerlining from the patient's own cells) TAH. The device features a pneumatically driven actuator (septum) between two ventricles and is coated with supramolecular polymeric materials to promote anti-thrombotic and tissue engineering properties. In vitro, the Hybrid Heart pumps 5.7 L/min and mimics the native heart's adaptive function. Proof-of-concept studies in rats and an acute goat model demonstrate the Hybrid Heart's potential for clinical use and improved biocompatibility. This paper presents the first proof-of-concept of a soft, biocompatible TAH by providing a platform using soft robotics and tissue engineering to create new horizons in heart failure and transplantation medicine.

Indexed as

Heart, ArtificialHeart FailureRoboticsAnimalsBiocompatible MaterialsGoatsHumansMaleRatsTissue EngineeringBiocompatible Materials

Identifiers

PMID40461487
PMCPMC12134382

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.