Lafayette Heart Ball Will Recognize Work on Revolutionary Heart Pump

(Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011) - The American Heart Association will honor researchers from Purdue University and IU Medical School with the Cor Vitae Award Saturday at the eighth annual Lafayette Heart Ball.

Dr. Steven Frankel, professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue, and Dr. Mark Rodefeld, an associate professor of surgery at IU Medical School, will receive the award, which recognizes individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the health and welfare of a community by advancing the life-saving mission of the American Heart Association.

Frankel and Rodefeld are working on a revolutionary heart pump that could add years and quality of life to babies born with congenital heart defects known as univentricular circulation – conditions where only one of the heart’s two ventricles functions properly.

This new pump would be inserted through a vein and has the novel ability to expand within the blood vessel. It does less damage to red blood cells than other pumps, and it spins as it directs blood to the proper places.

“It was in the spirit of true inspiration and collaboration that Mark and I came up with the idea for our novel cavopulmonary assist device for Fontan circulation,” Frankel said. “It is with gratitude and humility that we accept the Cor Vitae award recognizing it. There is so much more work to be done.”
Congenital heart defects are the leading cause of death for infants under the age of 1. Every year, the Lafayette Heart Ball raises money to fund research for those and other heart diseases. The money raised comes back to the community in the form of research grants and community programs. In the past five years, the American Heart Association has funded $1.4 million in research at Purdue.