Israeli First: Surgeons at Sheba successfully implant advanced artificial heart
Man in his 50s receives artificial heart from Carmat in milestone hailed as "breakthrough in saving lives."
On Thursday, May 29th, surgeons at Sheba Medical Center performed the first implantation of an advanced artificial heart. The Aeson® artificial heart, created by French medical device maker Carmat, was implanted in a man in his fifties suffering from severe heart failure in both chambers of his heart.
The groundbreaking surgical procedure replaced the man's heart with an artificial one, designed to maintain his health and prolong his life as he awaits a transplant from a human donor.
Carmat's artificial heart impressively mimics the function of the human heart.
The innovative transplant is part of a revolution in mechanical support for patients with advanced heart failure. Until now, treating such cases required two separate devices to support each chamber of the heart. The Carmat heart, on the other hand, replaces the function of both chambers and impressively mimics the performance of the human heart, utilizing self-regulation technologies and incorporating biological tissues. This innovation enables greater mobility and significantly improves quality of life for patients.
"This is a game-changer – not just for saving lives, but for significantly improving quality of life. That’s the real power of medical progress, and we’re committed to bringing this potential to every one of our patients" said Prof. Leonid Sternik, Head of the Cardiac Surgery Department at Sheba.
Carmat's artificial heart has been implanted in over 100 patients across Europe. Clinical studies show a six-month survival rate of around 90% for critically ill patients. The studies also report improved kidney and liver function, better daily activity levels, and fewer repeated hospitalizations.
Prof. Yael Peled, the Medical Director of the Heart Transplant Unit at Sheba: The artificial heart gives people time, hope, and a chance while they wait for a human heart donation. This is such an amazing example of how Sheba helps bring people back to life, even when everything seems lost."
