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17 Mar 2025 
Key Researcher Jürgen Lackner leads the research on artificial hearts for babies and small children. Credit: JOANNEUM RESEARCH/Raiser
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Western countries, accounting for approximately 45 percent of all fatalities. Artificial hearts have the potential to save lives—provided they function reliably and over the long term. A research team from Joanneum Research MATERIALS (Niklasdorf) is utilizing advanced Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) coating technology to further develop the POLVAD artificial heart system. Their goal: a life-saving solution for newborns.
High-Tech Coating for Improved Compatibility
The POLVAD artificial heart was developed by the Polish research organisation FRK in collaboration with industrial partners. It supports patients with severe heart failure by temporarily taking over or even completely replacing the heart’s function. The system’s pulsating chambers mimic the heart’s natural pumping function. One chamber contains the blood to be pumped, while a second chamber, separated by a membrane, is filled with pressurised air to trigger the pumping mechanism.
A key innovation is the PVD coating, developed at Joanneum Research in Niklasdorf. These thin and flexible layers significantly enhance the blood compatibility of the artificial heart. Materials such as polyurethane and titanium alloys are coated with diamond-like carbon layers in a vacuum, improving blood flow and minimizing the risk of clot formation.
In addition to Joanneum Research and FRK, DISTECH GmbH from Kapfenberg is also involved. While Joanneum Research develops the PVD coatings, DISTECH manufactures key components of the artificial heart using high-precision 3D printing. Close collaboration with Polish partners ensures the continuous advancement of the POLVAD system.
Miniaturized Heart Pumps for Babies, Toddlers, and Adolescents
A promising future project is the KIDmicroBLOODpump, a miniaturized centrifugal pump developed within the framework of the EU program M.ERA.NET. The goal is to enable minimally invasive procedures and make the POLVAD system even more adaptable—especially for young patients.
Each year, approximately 40,000 newborns in Europe are born with heart defects, many of whom suffer from life-threatening complications. Conventional artificial hearts are often too large or pose risks such as blood clots due to suboptimal blood flow. This is where the KIDmicroBLOODpump comes in: it is only the size of half a small finger and can be implanted minimally invasively through a small vascular access. Its shape has been specially optimized, and it is manufactured using 3D printing followed by surface coating.
“This project represents a significant breakthrough in pediatric heart surgery. In the medium term, this technology could not only save the lives of newborns but also improve the quality of life for many adults,” explains project leader Lackner.
Contact:
Dr. Jürgen Lackner
Joanneum Research MATERIALS
Juergen.Lackner@joanneum.at
https://www.joanneum.at/en/