Permanent Artificial Hearts Are Closer Than You Think

Summary

The video discusses the development of artificial hearts as a solution to heart failure, the leading cause of death worldwide. It covers the history of artificial heart technology, from early designs in the 1960s to modern advancements like the SynCardia and Carmat devices. While current artificial hearts serve as temporary solutions, new innovations like BiVACOR's rotary heart, which uses a magnetically levitated spinning disc, offer hope for permanent replacements. Despite challenges like durability and the need for external power, scientists are optimistic about the future of artificial hearts in medicine.

Takeaways

• ❤️ Cardiovascular disease, particularly heart failure, is the leading cause of death across most demographics worldwide.
• 🫀 Scientists have been working for over 50 years to create a machine that mimics the function of the human heart.
• 🔄 The development of artificial hearts has progressed slowly, but recent technology advancements offer hope for long-lasting solutions.
• 🚑 Currently, the gold standard for heart failure treatment is a heart transplant, with about 6,000 transplants performed annually versus 1 million requests.
• 🧑‍⚕️ Dr. William Cohn highlights the difficulty of obtaining healthy donor hearts, which limits the number of transplants possible.
• 🛠️ The SynCardia and Carmat devices are the only approved artificial hearts, but they are temporary solutions, used as bridges to heart transplants.
• ⏳ The longest a patient has survived with an artificial heart is roughly four years, with the main limitation being the device's durability.
• 💡 BiVACOR is developing a rotary artificial heart with a magnetically levitated disc that could last indefinitely by eliminating mechanical wear.
• 🔬 BiVACOR's continuous flow system lacks a pulse, raising questions about how it would affect human patients, though they are working on a pulsatile mode.
• 🔋 A major challenge remains the large external power packs needed for artificial hearts, with future hopes for wireless charging and longer battery life.

Q & A

What is the leading cause of death according to the transcript?

Cardiovascular disease, specifically heart failure, is the leading cause of death in men and women across nearly every demographic.

What is the main challenge in heart transplantation?

The main challenge is the limited availability of healthy donor hearts, as there are approximately a million requests for donor hearts annually, with only 6,000 heart transplants being performed each year.

What was the first artificial heart implanted in a human, and what were the results?

The first artificial heart implanted in a human was done by Denton Cooley in 1969 in a patient named Haskell Karp. It kept him alive for 64 hours, but he later died after a heart transplant due to infection.

What are the two approved artificial heart devices currently available?

The two approved artificial heart devices are the SynCardia device and the Carmat device. Both are only approved for temporary use as a bridge to transplant.

What is the main limitation of current artificial hearts?

The main limitation is long-term durability. Artificial hearts tend to wear out over time due to the need to flex continuously, making it challenging to create a device that can last indefinitely.

What innovative approach is BiVACOR taking with their artificial heart design?

BiVACOR is using a rotary total artificial heart design that incorporates a magnetically levitated spinning disc to pump blood. This design aims to eliminate mechanical wear and improve longevity.

What potential issue arises from BiVACOR’s artificial heart technology regarding pulse?

BiVACOR’s continuous flow technology may result in patients not having a pulse, which is traditionally seen as a fundamental part of heart function. This raises questions about the effects on the human body.

How does BiVACOR plan to address the lack of pulse in its artificial heart?

BiVACOR plans to introduce pulsatility by adjusting the speed of the spinning disc up and down, mimicking the natural pulse and potentially allowing the heart rate to adjust based on the patient's activity level.

What motivated Daniel Timms, the inventor of the BiVACOR device, to develop the artificial heart?

Daniel Timms was motivated by his father’s heart failure and the desire to create a solution to help patients with failing hearts. He started working on the device during his PhD, with his father helping him build early prototypes.

What are some of the current challenges in artificial heart technology that need to be overcome for broader adoption?

Key challenges include improving long-term durability, developing smaller and longer-lasting power packs, and eliminating the need for wired connections to the device through the patient's skin. Wireless charging and extending battery life are important advancements needed for greater patient freedom.