Artificial Placenta (ArtPlac) - Miniaturized Integrated Lung and Kidney Support for Critically Ill Newborns

This Pathfinder project will establish a radical change in the treatment of newborns using an artificial placenta (ArtPlac). What drives us towards a radical new treatment approach? 2 mio. neonatal deaths that occur worldwide yearly. The technological advancements of the last fifty years were based on scaling down adult devices which are not ideal for all babies. Why? Because babies are not just small adults! In fact, the applied treatments are very invasive and cause side effects by damaging their sensitive bodies. Survivors often suffer from life-long complications or cannot live independently.

In utero, the placenta is a life-giving organ and serves as fetal lung, fetal kidney, and feeder. Because the placenta cannot be reconnected after preterm birth, we aim to continue the placental support with ArtPlac. Our novel device simply connects to the belly button for lung and kidney support while the newborn can breathe, mature, and heal. To achieve this, a novel compact and miniaturized all-in-one artificial placenta device combining lung and kidney functions will be developed. Our plug-in approach will use the natural umbilical vessels at the belly button with expandable catheters to provide a large bore vascular access like in utero. This allows ArtPlac to be driven solely by the newborn's heart like in the womb. Inline sensors will analyze blood parameters without painful collection. Feedback loops in ArtPlac will provide individual demand-driven support. Inbuilt features for hemocompatibility will prevent thrombosis and use of high-dose systemic anticoagulation with the high risk for brain bleeding. Importantly, ArtPlac allows family integrated care providing a therapy for the newborn in close connection to its family.

In summary, our visionary approach revolutionizes the treatment of newborns after birth. It will reduce brain damage and comorbidities, promote long-term health, and therefore improve the survival chances of up to 1.2 mio. newborns per year.