At last! The first true artificial heart by 2011

The first prosthetic heart to beat like a living organ could be fully implanted into patients within three years, in a breakthrough which could transform the survival chances of people who have suffered major heart attacks.

"If you show the graphs to a cardiac surgeon he will say it's a human heart, but no, it's not. It's the prosthesis." Tests conducted on computer simulations and calves and sheep, have come back with "no complications" he added, paving the way for full clinical trials.

At long last we might have found the first medical holy grail. Plus we have something to put our money into... whoever manufactures Alain Carpentier's patent. It says the gap between supply and demand (for heart transplants) falls about 20,000 short per year. These things aren't cheap and you can bet if the clinical trials are successful there will be demand.

Another point I would bring up is what kind of impact this will have on human longevity? Death related heart failures account for about 4% of human deaths every year. Since we are on the subject of longevity, the article states that this new artificial heart is coated in specially treated tissue to prevent immune system rejection. This would be a major victory for all artificial organs. My impression of that field is that immune rejection is one of the major issues when transplanting organs of any kind. Human lifespans could spike in the coming decades at a rate which we have never seen before.

sources for external links:
www.guardian.co.uk
www.nbr.co.nz
news.yahoo.com

reply to post by Scramjet76


Human lifespans could spike in the coming decades at a rate which we have never seen before.


and this is a good thing? People are already too old. I mean look, the guy we have running for president is too old to even use a computer. You're gonna see 110 year olds running in about 20 years. It will be acceptable that they cant use a computer, or drive, or see, but lets not discriminate. After all they can't help it, they're old. We need to make it so people live shorter fuller lives, not long annoying ones.

As far as the heart goes. Well if someone needs a new heart they can get it the old fashioned way....from a baboon!

3.....
2.....
1........

Absolutely awesome! This is the kind of advancements I hope to see articles about every time I log on to ATS

God would be proud of us. Like a father is when the son wants to carry out the family business

The timing for this thread is great too considering the fake Pravda one the other day about magical arteries hehe

My heart goes out to every one with heart problems!

[edit on 28-10-2008 by Lucid Lunacy]

reply to post by liquidsmoke206


You're overlooking something.

If we continue making progress like this, it won't be an old man that lives for longer. It will be a youthful person that lives longer. For the aging of organs itself will 'eventually' be stopped. This might be achieved through artificial organs or altering the natural ones. In the future; old age will be old news.

[edit on 28-10-2008 by Lucid Lunacy]

2001 artificial heart

as it says, 2001. The John Radcliffe has had artificial heart patients since 1999.

John Radcliffe Hospital

The founders were cardiac surgeons, cardiologists and individuals interested in the field of mechanical heart aids. Initial work conducted at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, England led to the world's first implant of a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) as a long-term treatment for heart failure.

artificial hearts 2002

Just to point out that non-tissue heart surgery and correctional surgery has been going on for a very long time. This new one is just an evolution of the work that has been going on for the best part of twenty years.

reply to post by Lucid Lunacy


If only every organ in the body copied the liver, we could live forever. It never gets old, just sheds and replaces as it sees the need to. Now that would be a medical break through of the foreverness! Shows just how harsh heavy drinking is though if they manage to kill a liver

Originally posted by liquidsmoke206
and this is a good thing? People are already too old.

Yes. It's a good thing. What about young people that die of heart problems? Think about them as well. Think about your own future too. Any one of us could need one of these artificial hearts someday. You never know. Also consider that things like this could possibly, in the very long run, influence plans to colonize Mars and the moon because of high populations.

[edit on 28-10-2008 by GrayFox]

I disagree with anyone who tries to state that we are already living to be too old, and should look to live shorter fuller lives rather than live longer.

I don't feel this way because i'm afraid of death or afraid to die, but because I desire to see humans progress as a species, and i think longer lifespans is a huge factor in this. Imagine the advancements that could have been made if tesla had lived to 150, or einstein, or van braun, or if da vinci, galileo had lived 2-3 times thier life spans.

reply to post by whiterabbit85


I agree with you ! there is an institute that tries to increase the average life spam - it is called " the institute for immortality "

reply to post by D4rk Kn1ght


Hi DK,

The difference between the AbioCor and Carpentier's design is quite big. AbioCor only uses their artificial hearts as a bridge until a donor can be found. In theory, this new design is meant to be a person's new heart, not just a temporary one.

What about young people that die of heart problems? Think about them as well. Think about your own future too. Any one of us could need one of these artificial hearts someday. You never know.

I survived, and with the same heart I'm born with too. Plus i got a killer scar. A fake heart would need to be replaced often as the child grows. I couldn't imagine having the same surgery a dozen times, plus the cost. These hearts are for rich old people.

Liquidsmoke206= open heart surgery patient in 1982.


Look I'm all for increasing the quality of life, but until they come out with an artificial brain, that keeps people from being close minded, out of touch, and just plain slow, then they should put the hearts on hold. Do we really want a world of seniors running around? That doesn't sound like increased quality of life to me. Republicans win every election....thanks technology.

I'm probably wrong and it's for the best, but no one here can predict the future, except my man DK here. But according to him, we'll all be toast by the end of 2011 anyways.

reply to post by liquidsmoke206

Do we really want a world of seniors running around? That doesn't sound like increased quality of life to me. Republicans win every election....thanks technology.

Good point. But there is a flip side to that coin. For every close-minded old geezer still running around there will be an open-minded global warming paranoid geezer kept alive to offset that.