Team invents membrane system to pump blood

Chennai: With the objective of replacing the cumbersome and expensive mechanical heart support system for patients, a three-member team of physicists and a city-based cardiac surgeon have come up with a flexible magnetic membrane-based actuation system which will pump blood artificially like the heart does.

“You would have seen several heart patients fitted with lengthy tubes from artificial heart pumping machines going into their body. These machines consume more power and also weigh more than 40 kilograms so they have plenty of limitations.

To solve this issue, we have invented a new system which is easily transportable and cost-effective,” Dr Jatinder Vir Yakhmi, chairman, Atomic Energy Education Society, and ex-associate director (Physics group), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), said, while speaking to Deccan Chronicle on the sidelines of Shaastra (IIT-M’s annual technical festival), on Sunday.

Dr Yakhmi joined hands with Chennai-based eminent cardiac surgeon, Dr Komarakshi R. Balakr­ishnan, and Prof Sheikh Mohammad Yusuf to develop the flexible magnetic membrane-based actuation system.

The invention involves a low-cost biocompatible displaceable membrane adapted to generate a to-and-fro motion on either direction under magnetic action to pump blood similar to the heart’s pumping mechanism.

“We have patented our invention and are doing tests based on which we will roll it out for use soon. This will help patients as they no longer need lengthy pipes to be fitted to their body; besides it is not expensive,” he added.