The French company Carmat has been authorized to begin implementing its new human artificial heart, considered one of the most advanced to date. Although only some pilot tests have been carried out so far, the new artificial organ will be used for the first time in four hospitals in Belgium, Poland, Slovenia and Saudi Arabia.
This model is considered the latest generation of artificial heart, and although there are many advantages that have been observed in the tests, it is also true that there is little experience with their use. Unlike mechanical artificial hearts, which consist of a pump that is connected to the heart or implanted in the chest to help or replace a failing heart (without removing it), bioartificial hearts are designed to completely replace the original organ.
New bioartificial heart (copyright Carmat)
The device has a price of 200,000 euros and a battery life of about 14 hours. Moreover is manufactured with a series of materials that reduce the risk of thrombi to the patient, resulting in less need for anticoagulant therapy. Although it is early to assess what the outcome will be, the Carmat heart presents already some advantages compared to its predecessors: it is a smaller model (it weights just one kg) and it comes with a SW that controls it efficiently (the artificial heart regulates itself very well and knows how much blood is necessary to pump at all times).
In a joint statement, cardiac surgeons of the four hospitals have declared that "terminal heart failure is a major public health problem that crosses borders. This artificial heart is a true innovation for the medical community. We are eager to sart early implementations and analyze its potential benefits for our patients". When talking about this artificial heart, we are probably talking about the future treatment of heart failure.
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