Abiomed, the company behind the world’s first wholly artificial heart, have announced that they plan to begin testing a smaller version of the device in 2004. The current version of the artificial heart, called Abiocor, is the size of a grapefruit, and as such will only fit roughly 50% of adult males, and just 18% of women, however Abiomed say that the new heart will be suitable for all adults. Researchers are also planning to remove an unnecessary part of the device that is thought to be the cause of some of the complications seen in patients given the artificial heart. Three out of the five patients implanted with the device are still alive. To be considered for the implant patients had to be diagnosed with just 30-days to live, and the heart was expected to double their lifespan to 60-days. However, one patient was discharged from hospital 70-days after his operation, and the two patients are stable more than 100 days after receiving the heart.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.reutershealth.com on the 24th January 2002
