Durchbruch bei Herztransplantation: Erstmals erhält ein Mensch ein Herz aus Titan

Brings new meaning to the phrase “with a heavy heart”

We’ve been using titanium for medical implants for a long time; that’s not the thing that makes this heart special:

>As the TAH is a titanium-constructed biventricular rotary blood pump that uses magnetic levitation – or maglev – technology, it means the product features a unique pump design with a single moving part.

>The non-contact suspension of the rotor via maglev is designed to eliminate the potential for mechanical wear and provide large blood gaps that minimise blood trauma, offering a durable, reliable, and biocompatible heart replacement.

>With activity, the device is auto-regulated to provide up to 12 litres of blood flow per minute, which is similar to that pumped by a healthy human heart.

The “maglev” mechanism with only one moving part is what’s special about this design.

The article says the patient was on a vent before the operation and was able to walk a hundred meters seven days after the operation, which is GREAT recovery for any open heart surgery, let alone a transplant.

So this looks promising; let’s hope future trials are just as successful.