Cardiovascular disease, particularly heart failure, is the leading cause of death for men and women across nearly every demographic. The demand for viable solutions has driven scientists to develop artificial hearts over the past 50 years, aiming to replace the failing human heart with durable machines. As technology advances, we’re on the verge of witnessing a breakthrough that could change how we treat heart failure forever.
Currently, heart transplants are the gold standard for treating heart failure. Each year, around 6,000 heart transplants are performed, but over a million people worldwide request donor hearts, with about 600,000 in the U.S. alone. Unfortunately, the scarcity of healthy donor hearts is a major limitation. This is where the promise of artificial hearts comes in, potentially bridging the gap and saving countless lives.
The quest for an artificial heart began in the 1960s with the groundbreaking work of Dr. Domingo Liotta and Dr. Michael DeBakey. Their initial device has evolved over time into SynCardia, the world’s first approved artificial heart. However, both SynCardia and Carmat, another artificial heart approved in Europe, are currently only temporary solutions used to keep patients alive while awaiting transplants. These artificial hearts have impressive longevity, with one lasting as long as four years, but their long-term durability remains a challenge.
Enter BiVACOR, a startup revolutionizing artificial heart technology with a new approach. Unlike traditional hearts that use compressing sacs, BiVACOR utilizes a rotary artificial heart with a spinning, magnetically levitated disc to pump blood throughout the body. This innovative design minimizes wear, offering the possibility of a heart that could last indefinitely. BiVACOR is making strides in both animal trials and durability testing, with hopes of entering human trials soon.
Despite these advances, artificial hearts still face a few hurdles, including power packs that require constant connection to the patient. With ongoing research into wireless charging and extended battery life, the future holds great promise for artificial hearts, potentially making them permanent solutions and eliminating heart failure as the leading cause of death worldwide.
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