Artificial heart transplant: Kentucky woman undergoes first successful operation

A large number of patients worried about a heart transplant and its success have reportedly found new hope as the US’ Kentucky-based women recently underwent the world’s first Aeson bioprosthetic total artificial heart implantation. According to a report by The Science Times, the 57-year-old became the first woman and third person to have had the implantation on September 14. Earlier, two men underwent the same procedure a few weeks ago. 

First successful Aeson bioprosthetic operation

As per EurekaAlert’s report, the operation was performed at the University of Louisville Health (UoLH) — Jewish Hospital as part of an Early Feasibility Study (EFS). The study was reportedly sponsored by CARMAT, a French medical device company in partnership with UofL, UofL Health – Jewish Hospital and the UofL Health – Trager Transplant Center.

Media sources reported that the Aeson device planted in the woman is intended as a bridge to heart transplants. The report by Science Times stated that the device solves the limitations of left-ventricular assist devices (LVAD) by pumping blood in both heart chambers. It further revealed that the device is powered by a portable power supply and is transplanted as a complete replacement of the heart. Interestingly, it contains pressure sensors that estimate the blood pressure and automatically adapt the cardiac output. 

After-effects of the surgery

The woman, who underwent the operation, was reportedly suffering from severe biventricular heart failure after an eight-hour surgery. However, media sources revealed that she is doing well and recovering fine at the cardiovascular intensive care unit of the hospital. As per lead surgeons Mark Slaughter and Siddharth Pahwa, the artificial heart can easily fit in smaller chest cavities, especially in women. The doctors said that this speciality of the device will increase the success rate and provide hope to a huge number of patients. They further revealed that the artificial heart’s viability and performance increase due to its varying pumping ability that helps to meet the human body’s changing blood flow needs.

This comes after a 39-year-old patient from Shallotte, North Carolina was planted with the first-ever CARMAT device in North America. His heart was reportedly replaced with the device after undergoing sudden heart failure and when all conventional transplantations got out of options. 

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