Biatrial catheter to support the heart and lungs in pulmonary arterial hypertension
Official title: The Development of a Biatrial Catheter for a Cardiopulmonary Support System in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Funded at Sentara Health · NIH-11384970 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small, patient-friendly device is being developed to temporarily support the heart and lungs in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sentara Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Virginia Beach, United States) |
| Project start | August 5, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $335,984 |
| NIH project number | 7R33HL163755-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384970 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension who are potential candidates for short- or long-term circulatory support.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without PAH or those not needing right-heart support would not benefit from this device.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a dual-lumen catheter that can be inserted and kept in place to offload the right side of the heart and protect the blood vessels in the lungs. It includes an innovative monitoring system to track blood flow and device performance while the patient receives medical treatment. The work is grounded in engineering and medical collaboration to lay the groundwork for a long-term support system that could bridge patients to transplant or recovery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could have a safer, longer period of support from a catheter-based system while awaiting transplant or while maintaining medical therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has shown that right-heart and pulmonary support strategies can improve function, but this specific dual-lumen catheter approach is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Sentara Health
Virginia Beach, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Benza, Raymond Louis — Sentara Health
- Study coordinator: Benza, Raymond Louis
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how blood flow and pressure affect lungs in PAH
This grant studies how abnormal blood flow and pressure contribute to pulmonary arterial hypertension and how patient factors shape these effects, with the aim of guiding better therapies.
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Asporin as a double-targeted therapy and biomarker for a serious artery disease
This project tests a protein called asporin as both a treatment and a biomarker for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to help people with this life-threatening condition.
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Platelets and fibroblasts linked to energy use in a hard-to-treat blood vessel disease
A research team at the University of Pittsburgh is studying how platelet energy metabolism and fibroblast glutamine use interact in systemic sclerosis-related pulmonary arterial hypertension to improve diagnosis and treatment.
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A biatrial dual‑lumen catheter to help the heart and lungs in pulmonary arterial hypertension
A new double‑lumen catheter is being developed to unload the right side of the heart and protect the lungs for people with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
-
Endothelial inflammation and Src kinase in early pulmonary arterial hypertension
Researchers are studying how inflammation in the lining of blood vessels and a protein called Src kinase contribute to early lung artery remodeling in people with mild PAH.
-
Cardiopulmonary chip model to study right heart disease from high blood pressure in the lungs
A tiny heart-lung chip is being developed to understand why the right side of the heart enlarges in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension and to test targeted treatments.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.