Surgeons in the UK have fitted a man suffering from heart failure with an artificial heart pump. The pump, known as Jarvik 2000, is implanted into the left ventricle and a power cable is passed from the device through the chest and neck to an outlet in the skull. Wires then lead to a battery pack and controller, which is worn around the waist. Before the operation the patient had been given only weeks to live, however, six-week postoperative checks have revealed that his heart function, liver function, and tolerance to exercise have improved significantly. Surgeons believe that Jarvik 2000 could be a solution to the chronic shortage of hearts available for transplantation.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Lancet 2000; 356: 900-903
