The first fully implantable artificial heart has recently been approved for use with patients who are too sick to receive a transplant. This tremendous breakthrough comes after 30 years of research that has produced one of the most expensive and complicated medical devices in history. The device is a two-pound pump constructed of plastic and titanium and is surgically implanted in place of the heart’s pumping chambers. Although several patients have prolonged their lives with the medical device, some patients do not make it past the initial operation. Strokes are unfortunately common after clots form around certain parts of the artificial heart. The company that developed the artificial heart will spend the next few months training doctors on how to install the device. Only a limited number of patients with terminal conditions will be eligible for the procedure. The artificial heart is powered by a power pack that transmits energy to the medical device directly through the skin. There is also a limited battery implanted in the patient’s abdomen to allow the patient to bathe and walk freely for a short time. Read the full article at Mechanical Engineering Magazine.
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