New Artificial Hearts

Artificial hearts have improved greatly since then and tbey are now made of new plastics less likely to cause blood clots. There are expriments to coat the heart surfaces with cells from the patient's own body. These cells, called [endothelial cells], were taken from the interior of blood vessels, and were a better match to the body than plastics.

Some new artificial hearts, still being tested on animals differ from real hearts in that they do not beat. It has been found that the pulse only serves the purpose of giving the heart muscle a chance to rest. Artificial materials do not need that and an articifial heart that does not beat causes les damage to surrounding tissue. This reduces the chances of infection.

Other bioengineers in Penn State have been experimenting with an artificial heart that can recieve electricity through unbroken skin. Its batteries provide enough power to run the heart for about a day and can be carried in a shoulder pack.

The closet things to permanent artificial hearts on the market are implanted machines called left-ventricular assist devices (LVADs), which do the work of the left ventricle, the heart chamber that works the hardest.

One type of LVAD is the Heartmate. It is implanted in the abdomen and connected to the natural heart via a short tube. Power comes from a battery pack that is worn in a shoulder bag and runs an electric motor. The motor pushes a plate, the pushes the blood into the aorta.

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