Search for: All records

Abstract Severe diaphragm dysfunction can lead to respiratory failure and to the need for permanent mechanical ventilation. Yet permanent tethering to a mechanical ventilator through the mouth or via tracheostomy can hinder a patient’s speech, swallowing ability and mobility. Here we show, in a porcine model of varied respiratory insufficiency, that a contractile soft robotic actuator implanted above the diaphragm augments its motion during inspiration. Synchronized actuation of the diaphragm-assist implant with the native respiratory effort increased tidal volumes and maintained ventilation flow rates within the normal range. Robotic implants that intervene at the diaphragm rather than at the upper airway and that augment physiological metrics of ventilation may restore respiratory performance without sacrificing quality of life. 

In this work, we describe a benchtop model that recreates the motion and function of the diaphragm using a combination of advanced robotic and organic tissue. First, we build a high-fidelity anthropomorphic model of the diaphragm using thermoplastic and elastomeric material based on clinical imaging data. We then attach pneumatic artificial muscles to this elastomeric diaphragm, pre-programmed to move in a clinically relevant manner when pressurized. By inserting this diaphragm as the divider between two chambers in a benchtop model—one representing the thorax and the other the abdomen—and subsequently activating the diaphragm, we can recreate the pressure changes that cause lungs to inflate and deflate during regular breathing. Insertion of organic lungs in the thoracic cavity demonstrates this inflation and deflation in response to the pressures generated by our robotic diaphragm. By tailoring the input pressures and timing, we can represent different breathing motions and disease states. We instrument the model with multiple sensors to measure pressures, volumes, and flows and display these data in real-time, allowing the user to vary inputs such as the breathing rate and compliance of various components, and so they can observe and measure the downstream effect of changing these parameters. In this way, the model elucidates fundamental physiological concepts and can demonstrate pathology and the interplay of components of the respiratory system. This model will serve as an innovative and effective pedagogical tool for educating students on respiratory physiology and pathology in a user-controlled, interactive manner. It will also serve as an anatomically and physiologically accurate testbed for devices or pleural sealants that reside in the thoracic cavity, representing a vast improvement over existing models and ultimately reducing the requirement for testing these technologies in animal models. Finally, it will act as an impactful visualization tool for educating and engaging the broader community.