Galvani- An innovative wireless power solution for arti?cial heart pumps.

心力衰竭(HF)是一种越来越常见的心脏疾病，由心脏输送血液在全身的能力下降引起。症状包括呼吸急促和疲劳，运动能力降低。虽然药物治疗通常是有效的，但一些晚期心力衰竭患者可能需要心脏移植。心脏移植的需求超过了供者的供应；事实上，每年只进行4000例心脏移植手术。在许多情况下，可以在患者心脏附近植入机电心泵(左心室辅助装置，LVAD)。这些设备可以拯救生命，但有一个重大缺陷。他们的高功率需求需要一根穿过患者皮肤的电源线(传动系)。它经常会被感染，需要住院、长期的抗生素治疗和手术干预。传动系还严重限制了患者的日常活动，降低了他们的生活质量。Galvani Tech Ltd为LVAD提供创新的专利无线电源解决方案，能够进行高功率传输。由一组小而薄的可伸缩线圈组成，适合植入皮肤下，它将消除传动装置。夜间，当患者使用轻型充电背心睡着时，为LVAD的电池充电。因此，与传动系有关的并发症将不再需要住院治疗。患者将体验到更高的生活质量，不受传动系的限制和感染风险。他们将能够参加以前不可能进行的活动，如游泳。他们将享受更长的寿命，而不用担心与传动系统相关的并发症。昂贵的入院费用的减少将导致显著的医疗节省。左冠状动脉旁路移植术的寿命将延长，被认为适合使用左冠状动脉左冠状动脉旁路移植术治疗的患者数量将增加。阿尔斯特大学开发了Galvani平台。到目前为止，我们的研究计划已经显示出Galvani比早期的无线电力传输技术更优越。我们已经证明了在高功率水平下传输射频能量的能力，足以在不过度加热皮肤的情况下为LVAD供电。总而言之，在这个为期一年的项目结束时，我们将优化Galvani技术，使我们能够充分参与行业合作伙伴的工作，以推进商业化。我们将开发一个工作的Galvani原型，驱动用于台式演示的LVAD。

Heart failure (HF) is an increasingly common cardiac condition resulting from a reduced ability of the heart to pump blood around the body. Symptoms include shortness of breath and fatigue, with reduced exercise capacity. While drug therapy is often effective, some patients with advanced heart failure may require a cardiac transplant.Demand for cardiac transplantation exceeds donor availability; indeed, only 4000 heart transplant operations are performed annually. In many cases, an electromechanical heart pump (left ventricular assist device, LVAD) may be implanted close to the patient's heart. These devices can be lifesaving but have a major drawback. Their high-power requirement necessitates a power cable (driveline) that passes through the patient's skin. This frequently becomes infected, requiring hospitalisation, prolonged antibiotic therapy, and surgical intervention. The driveline also significantly restricts the patient's daily activities and impairs their quality of life.Galvani Tech Ltd offers an innovative and patented wireless power solution for LVADs, capable of high-power transmission. Consisting of a set of small thin, and ?exible coils suitable for implanting beneath the skin, it will eliminate the driveline.Charging the LVAD's battery will occur at night when the patient is asleep using a lightweight charging vest. Hospital admission for driveline-related complications will, therefore, no longer be necessary. Patients will experience an improved quality of life, free from the restrictions and infection risk of a driveline. They will be able to participate in activities previously not possible such as swimming. They will enjoy a longer life without the fear of driveline-related complications.The reduction in costly hospital admissions will result in signi?cant healthcare savings.LVAD lifespan will be extended, and the number of patients considered suitable for treatment with an LVAD will increase.The Galvani platform has been developed at Ulster University. Our research programme to date has already shown the superiority of Galvani to earlier wireless power transmission techniques. We have demonstrated the capability of transmitting radiofrequency energy at high power levels sufficient to power LVADs without excessive skin heating.In conclusion, at the end of this one-year project, we will have optimised Galvani technology to a stage where we can fully engage with industry partners to advance commercialisation. We will develop a working Galvani prototype driving an LVAD for benchtop demonstration.