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For years, scientists have tried perfecting the artificial heart in order to help those in need, especially the one involving the need of heart transplant. But don't worry, Dr Billy Cohn and Dr Bud Frazier have the solution. Their artificial heart, although is not the same as the usual artificial heart, is proving to be very successful in calf. The first heart transplant using this artificial heart, also was successful but the patient died due to underlying disease that attacked his other organ.



Back to the story of the heart, Dr Cohn and Dr Frazier's artificial heart as i mentioned earlier is not the same as the usual artificial heart because it lacked heartbeat, simply put, it is a heart that does not beat and yet the person having this heart can function normally. EKG test will show flat line indicating that the person is dead. The trick involved in using a device called ventricular assist device, VAD that has been used to assist failing heart since 1980s. This VAD has a rotor of blades that circulate and push the blood forward in a continuous flow to help either left or right ventricle.

An X-Ray image showing the VADs that helped the first human patient to extend his life few months before his death.

Cohn and Frazier use this device, which is usually to help only one section of the heart in their artificial heart. They hooked two of these VAD and it would essentially work as both side of the heart. The idea of this new artificial heart is yet to be approved by FDA but it has shown significant promise and hopefully the final design and the approval from FDA can help those in need of new heart.

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