The Carmat company has accomplished their first ever artificial heart transplantation. The heart consists of both organic components from a cow and also synthetic parts.

The organic parts that derive from a cow are in direct contact with the blood. The synthetic parts take care of the machinery, the pump, and control. The heart is then powered by external, wearable lithium-ion batteries.

The heart is specifically aimed at helping those thousands of patients who die in vain each year while waiting for a donor and reducing the side-effects associated with transplants. The heart is expected to function in around five years after transplantation.

It was developed by a team of engineers from Airbus parent company EADS. It weighs about 900g (a2 lb) which is nearly three times more than an average healthy human heart.

The man who received the first artificial heart last week was awake throughout the operation and is reported to be feeling well. Carmat says that around 100,000 people in the U.S. and Europe could benefit from using their artificial heart. Each heart is estimated to cost between 140,000 to 180,000 Euros.

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Carmat

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