AnonTechie writes:
"Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Washington University in St. Louis have developed a new device that may one day help prevent heart attacks. Unlike existing pacemakers and implantable defibrillators that are one-size-fits-all, the new device is a thin, elastic membrane designed to stretch over the heart like a custom-made glove and may arrive to human hearts in 10 to 15 years.
They custom made it to precisely fit the shape of the rabbit's heart: First, while the rabbit was still alive, they scanned it and created a 3D model using computer aided tomography. They manufactured the model in a 3D printer, which they used as a mold to create the membrane. After that they took the heart out, applied the membrane, and kept it beating at a perfect pace.
(Score: 5, Funny) by CoolHand on Monday March 03 2014, @05:43PM
Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job-Douglas Adams
(Score: 1) by Dachannien on Monday March 03 2014, @06:43PM
Nah, just chuck it back in there. It'll work fine!
(Score: 2) by davester666 on Monday March 03 2014, @06:53PM
Details shmetails.
Who doesn't want an elastic band around their heart?
(Score: 1) by efitton on Monday March 03 2014, @11:55PM
My father had a triple bypass this last December. The take out the heart. Obviously they keep it all hooked up, etc. but the actual heart is taken out of the chest. End of the procedure they wash out the body cavity and put it back in. I imagine that this type of procedure would be similar in terms of lower the body temp, crack open the chest, etc.
Anyhow, pretty amazing.