Artificial Organs
One
important goal of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine
is to develop and define technologies that will maintain,
improve or even restore the function of diseased organs. The
growing need for these technologies is substantial. Improved
health care has resulted in an increased life span for the
general population and, when coupled with a growing shortage
of donor organs, makes it clear that organ assistance and
substitution devices will play a larger role in managing patients
with end-stage disease by providing a bridge to recovery or
transplantation. (In the U.S. alone, the annual need for organ
replacement therapies increases by about 10 percent each year.)
The good news is that the field of medical device and artificial organ development is redefining what is believed to be possible for augmenting or replacing organ function. Once constructed only of synthetic components, these devices may now be either fully artificial or bioartificial- so-called "biohybrid organs" - a combination of biologic and synthetic components, often incorporating multiple technologies involving sensors, new biomaterials, and innovative delivery systems.
Some devices - such as the left ventricular assist device and bioartificial liver - will provide assistance while new therapies incorporating stem cells, gene therapy, or engineered tissues are employed to repair or replace the damaged organ. Until these new therapies can be developed and tested, medical devices will play a crucial role in facilitating organ recovery and, perhaps, organ salvage through natural repair mechanisms. Where organ recovery is not possible, artificial organs - when fully refined - will provide a substitute for natural organs.
Institute researchers, continually seeking to improve the design and performance of devices and artificial organs, are presently addressing a number of technical challenges, including the development of tissue-engineered drive lines, development of an antibacterial agent (incorporating biomaterials) to reduce infection from device surfaces, and the development of intelligent control systems and biological batteries or other power sources. In addition, they are studying control systems for the volume, regulatory and endocrine functions of the heart, as well as effects of reduced pulsatility on peripheral organ function.