First child receives permanent artificial heart

First child receives permanent artificial heart

In Rome, an artificial heart was implanted for the first time in a 15-year-old patient. This is the first time in the world that a child receives a permanent artificial heart. The Italian specialists needed a total of 10 hours for the procedure.

For the first time, an artificial heart was implanted into a child. The artificial heart should not, as usual, bridge a waiting period until an organic donor heart is found, but remain permanently in the body of the 15 year old boy. Already last Thursday, the ten-hour intervention in the Catholic Children's Hospital "Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù" in Rome was completed. Bearer of the Roman Children's Hospital is the Vatican. So far, the doctors expressed very reluctant to the result, a prognosis could be made only with reservations, as it was said.

The serious and so far unique operation had to be done because the boy was suffering from heart disease that prevented him from being on a donor waiting list. For this reason, the heart specialists would have decided to use an artificial heart. The operation was carried out by the medical team around Dr. med. Antonio Amodeo.

The artificial heart has a total length of four centimeters. The artificial heart was inserted into the left ventricle and connected to the ascending aorta. The heart is electrically operated and is a kind of hydraulic pump. To minimize the risk of infection, the electrical heart was fully fitted into the chest of the young patient. In order for the artificial heart to receive electricity, a connection was also implanted behind the left ear. The boy carries a battery connected to the port. The boy carries the battery with a belt on his hip.

A heart implant is mostly used in the body of having incurable heart disease. An artificial heart is not, as is generally assumed, a complete heart, but is intended to substantially support the function of the heart. The most common disease leading to such an operation is heart failure (heart failure).

Newer variants of artificial heart pumps can already achieve a relatively long life span of 10 to 15 years. Thereafter, if the body accepts the artificial heart, a renewed intervention must take place. However, the medical team made no specific information about the child's illness. For this reason, no information was given on the eventual life expectancy of the patient. (sb, 03.10.2010)

Picture credits: German Federal Archive, picture 183-1988-1208-002, originator: Sindermann, Jürgen.