In a study performed with the aid of MedUni Vienna/Vienna General Hospital, a new type of device has been successfully used for the first time to strengthen the weakened heart muscle in cardiomyopathy sufferers. An implanted pulse generator exercises the heart muscle using a microcurrent, stimulating the damaged heart muscle to regenerate. Ideally, this may prevent the patient from undergoing a heart transplant operation or delay the need for one.
In Europe, there are presently around 20 million humans (2 – to three of the person populace) with systolic coronary heart failure. In so-called dilative cardiomyopathy, the coronary heart muscle turns pathologically enlarged, so it may no longer contract sufficiently. There are several causes for this: congenital, the result of inflammatory situations, due to pollutants, the result of the getting old process, or even idiopathic causes. Contemporary treatment tries to stabilize sufferers for as long as feasible by optimized drug treatment. Subsequently, they can be stabilized through technological methods, including special pacemaker structures (CRT, BAROSTIM).
The ultimate resort for terminal coronary heart failure is an organic replacement (coronary heart transplant) or mechanical replacement (ventricular help devices). While every 12 months, about 400 patients with advanced heart failure get hold of long-term remedy on the Department of Medicine II of MedUni Vienna/Vienna General Hospital on my own, the Department of Surgery of MedUni Vienna/Vienna General undertakes around forty to 50 heart transplants a year to cowl the complete of Austria and to implant the identical number of heart-help pumps, even though these are many of the top figures inside the global. This hole suggests that there is a pressing want for similar forms of treatment.
The newly developed microcurrent applicator – advanced by using Berlin Heals GmbH – has now been efficaciously used in humans for the first time with the aid of the Division of Cardiac Surgery at MedUni Vienna/Vienna General Hospital, led by using Günther Laufer, in collaboration with the Division of Cardiology (Head: Christian Hengstenberg), in the context of a take a look at.
The electrical field stimulates cellular regeneration.
The surgical technique is minimally invasive. The tool is implanted under the preferred anesthetic through small incisions. One electrode forms an extensive patch on the heart muscle outdoors, while the other sits within the ventricle. A small, absolutely implanted tool then emits a microcurrent, stimulates the affected coronary heart muscle, and causes it to regenerate. This technique is intended for people for whom drug remedies and other technological options were exhausted but who do not urgently want a heart-assist pump or a transplant.
A successful example of translational medicine
The tool evolved and was examined in a chain of preclinical studies at MedUni Vienna’s Division of Biomedical Research under Bruno Podesser alongside the Berlin Heals GmbH company. The successful translation into clinical studies on people, which has now taken location in the same established order, will boost the development and licensing procedure. After 3 months, the primary affected person handled with the device shows initial signs and symptoms of regeneration, which is being studied to determine whether it has sufficient clinical significance. Martin Hülsmann from the Division of Cardiology is assisting in recruiting extra volunteers for this study.
Five research clusters at MedUni Vienna
In general, five study clusters have been set up at MedUni Vienna. In these clusters, MedUni Vienna is increasingly specializing in essential medical studies. The study clusters consist of scientific imaging, most cancer studies/oncology, cardiovascular medication, scientific neurosciences, and immunology. The defined method falls within the remit of the Cluster for Cardiovascular Medicine.
