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For the first time, a person has been implanted with an artificial heart that uses magnetic levitation (maglev) technology.
According to the Texas Heart Institute, the BiVACOR total artificial heart “is a titanium, dual-ventricular, single-moving-part rotary blood pump that uses a magnetic levitating rotor to pump blood and replaces both ventricles of the heart.”
BiVACOR, which has been working on the device since 2013, says the advantage of using a rotor that moves on a magnetic cushion to control the circulatory function is that there is no friction to damage the machinery. It is the first artificial heart to use maglev. Like other mechanical replacements, the titanium heart is designed to keep a patient alive while they wait for a real heart to be transplanted.
The device, about the size of a fist, can push blood at a rate of 12 liters per minute, which BiVACOR says is enough to allow an adult man to exercise. The company notes that other artificial hearts rely on flexible polymer diaphragms to pump blood, but such components can wear out. With only one moving part suspended in space by a magnetic field and no valves, BiVACOR’s heart could technically last longer.
“This achievement would not have been possible without the courage of our first patient and his family, the dedication of our team, and our partners at the Texas Heart Institute. Using cutting-edge maglev technology, the device brings us one step closer to providing a much-needed option for people with end-stage heart failure who need support while they wait for a heart transplant. I look forward to continuing the next phase of our clinical trial,” said Daniel Timms, founder and CTO of BiVACOR.
The next stage involves implanting titanium hearts into two more patients, who will be closely monitored while they await the final transplant surgery.
Heart failure affects at least 26 million people worldwide. According to the American Heart Association, the demand for heart transplants has doubled in the last 30 years, leaving more than 3,400 people in the U.S. waiting for a transplant. If the BiVACOR titanium heart passes clinical trials, it could help keep those people alive.
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Sources: The Texas Heart Institute, New Atlas
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