Robotic repair of the tricuspid valve inside the beating heart
Intracardiac beating heart tricuspid valve repair via robotics.
This project uses tiny robotic instruments inserted through blood vessels to repair leaking tricuspid valves in adults who are too high-risk for open-heart surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University (Charles River Campus) NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11242027 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I have severe tricuspid valve leakage and cannot safely have open-heart surgery, this project is building small robotic tools that can reach and fix the valve while the heart is still beating. The team will create 3-D anatomic models and sensors, then test device designs in realistic heart models and animal experiments to prove they work in a moving, blood-filled environment. Researchers will focus on improving instrument dexterity and feedback compared with current catheter systems so repairs can be placed precisely. Successful preclinical work would be used to prepare these devices for future human trials at specialized centers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with symptomatic, significant tricuspid regurgitation who are judged high-risk for conventional open-heart valve surgery.
Not a fit: Patients with only mild tricuspid leakage, children, those with other primary valve diseases needing different treatments, or people whose anatomy prevents catheter access may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could offer a less invasive repair option for patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation who are not candidates for open-heart surgery.
How similar studies have performed: Some transcatheter tricuspid repair techniques have shown early clinical promise, but fully intracardiac robotic beating-heart repair remains mostly experimental and relies on preclinical support.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston University (Charles River Campus) — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ranzani, Tommaso — Boston University (Charles River Campus)
- Study coordinator: Ranzani, Tommaso
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 below.