Heart pump

A new machine developed at North Carolina State University makes an animal-heart pump much like a live heart after it has been removed from the animal's body, allowing researchers to develop new tools and techniques for heart surgery.

The machine saves researchers time and money by allowing them to conduct tests on the heart in a realistic surgical environment, without the cost and time associated with animal or clinical trials.

Currently, most medical-device prototypes designed for use in heart surgery are tested on live pigs, which have heart valves that are anatomically similar to human-heart valves.

However, these tests are expensive and time-consuming and involve a lengthy process to ensure that the use of live animals is necessary.

This is why researchers at NC State developed the 'dynamic heart system', a machine that pumps fluid through a pig heart so that it functions in a realistic way.