Innovative pump helps get heart transplant candidates moving
By Daniel P. Smith For Sun-Times Media
Pump of merit: Bimba Chief Design Engineer Bob Guillemette helped design the pumping mechanism for the Freedom portable driver, which is a portable artificial heart created by SynCardia Systems. | Photo by Mary Compton
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In early 2008, University Park-based Bimba Manufacturing began its multi-year journey to help heart transplant patients lead more mobile lives.
More than three years later, Bimba’s mission is nearly complete with its partner, Arizona-based SynCardia Systems.
SynCardia had already developed its Total Artificial Heart system when it first reached out to Bimba in 2008. Originally used as a permanent replacement heart, the Total Artificial Heart is currently approved as a bridge to transplant for people dying from end-stage biventricular heart failure. The man-made device replaces both failing heart ventricles and the four heart valves, thereby helping to make the patient a better transplant candidate.
Creating mobility
As SynCardia set its sights on bigger goals, the company sought a partner with solutions-oriented processes and innovative skills to advance its latest concept — the Freedom portable drive, a wearable power supply that would allow heart transplant candidates to lead more normal lives while waiting for a new heart.
SynCardia soon found Bimba Manufacturing, an employee-owned company with a cadre of clients in the medical field and a proven record for inventive applications.
“SynCardia was doing its own research and development and looking at the product from the conceptual standpoint,” said Tom Carlson, Bimba’s manager of service excellence. “They needed partners for a pump-vacuum system and liked our approach and ability to work with customers on special projects.”
And so began the three-year odyssey to take the Freedom driver from the physics lab to reality.
Pumping it up
Bimba began a lengthy process of in-house developments and fine-tuning with the SynCardia team. Bimba, which produces cylinders in automated applications such as bowling center pinsetters and hospital beds, soon developed a light, stainless steel driver that is attached to the artificial heart and helps pump the unit. Bimba’s cylinder design helps pump both ventricles at the same time.
The result is now the 13.5-pound Freedom portable driver.
Whereas heart-transplant patients were generally anchored to a hospital room for months, hooked up to a sizable driver known as Big Blue, the groundbreaking Freedom driver powers the artificial heart and allows patients to be mobile and, therefore, await a matching donor at home.
“Our component allows this bridge to life to work and allows a transplant patient to be a better candidate to receive a heart when a match becomes available,” Carlson said.
SynCardia is currently conducting a government-approved Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) clinical study of the Freedom portable driver. Approximately 150 patients are walking around with the Freedom driver during the current Food and Drug Administration (FDA) trial.
Recognition
In September, the World Technology Network in association with Time, Fortune, CNN, Science/AAAS, and Technology Review named SynCardia a finalist for the 2011 World Technology Award for Health and Medicine. The award honors those doing “innovative work of the greatest likely long-term significance” and underscores Bimba’s contributions to the pioneering Freedom portable driver.
“It’s so rewarding to be a part of this because we know this is a life-saving product,” said Carlson, well aware of the significant quality-of-life changes the Freedom driver creates for its heart transplant patients.
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