Artificial Heart

Researchers have been trying for years to create a totally implantable artificial heart to completely replace the existing human heart. Well, they have. Dr. Alain Carpentier led his team in creating an artificial heart to completely replace an existing one. This is not a bridge-to-transplant or a temporary heart, but a heart that will be able to serve the same job as a human heart, with a few minor differences.

They engineered a device that uses two pumps to more accurately mimic the function of a real heart's two ventricles. There will also be a series of monitors to change the heart rate based on environmental or physiological changes.The materials will be animal tissue and are chemically treated to decrease blood clotting.

Because this device should be able to completely replace a damaged heart, it will make an amazing difference in the world of medicine. For the almost 17 million people dying from cardiac disease every year, many of these lives will be saved. Currently, only about one-fourth of patients on the heart transplant list are receiving donor hearts. With the implementation of this heart, people will not need to wait for someone else to die.

The team has been working on this project for 15 years and are very hopeful about the success of their project. there still need to be tests done on the heart, but for the most part it looks like something that will cause a significant change in the medical field.

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1857216,00.html

Nicole Maxey

Section 502