Cardiac Catheter Testing With Live Tissue Scaffolds

The patent creates a simplified copy of human heart tissue using engineered cardiac cells grown on a scaffold in a Petri dish. This cell-based model replicates the electrical properties and beating patterns of actual heart tissue, providing a reproducible and cost-effective alternative to expensive PCB test jigs and animal studies. The cells can be cultured in large quantities and used for multiple testing iterations.

The patent changes the testing medium from conventional electronic test boards to living cardiac cells, fundamentally altering the test parameters. The cells are engineered to express specific ion channels and proteins that replicate human heart electrical properties. This parameter change enables reproducible testing of catheter performance in a biologically relevant environment without the high costs associated with traditional methods.

The patent creates a simplified copy of human heart tissue using engineered cardiac cells grown on a scaffold in a Petri dish. This cell-based model replicates the electrical properties and beating patterns of actual heart tissue, providing a reproducible and cost-effective alternative to expensive PCB test jigs and animal studies. The cells can be cultured in large quantities and used for multiple testing iterations.

The patent uses cultured cardiac cells that can be easily replenished and discarded after use, replacing the need for expensive and ethically problematic animal subjects. The cell cultures are grown in vitro on biocompatible scaffolds and can be used for multiple testing cycles before being replaced, providing a sustainable and ethically acceptable testing platform.

The patent segments the complex task of testing cardiac catheters in human heart conditions into manageable components: (1) culturing cardiac cells on a scaffold in a Petri dish, (2) establishing electrical connections between cells and catheter electrodes, (3) delivering test signals through the catheter, and (4) recording and analyzing the cellular response. This segmentation simplifies the overall testing process while maintaining biological relevance.

The patent introduces a biocompatible scaffold as an intermediary between the cardiac cells and the testing environment. The scaffold provides structural support and electrical conductivity, facilitating signal transmission between the catheter electrodes and the cardiac cells without direct contact between the catheter and complex tissue structures. This intermediary simplifies the testing setup while preserving physiological accuracy.