Update on Patient With Artificial Heart

The first recipient of a new kind of artificial heart has been identified as Robert Tools, 59, in a news briefing held at the Jewish Hospital in Louisville, KY (USA).

Although Mr. Tools remains in a surgical intensive care unit, he said he had no regrets about undergoing the operation and believes the artificial heart was his only chance for survival. He is off the ventilator and while weak, he can walk and talk. Unfortunately, during the months he suffered from heart failure, Mr. Tools had appetite and digestive problems and as a result lost a lot of muscle mass and weight. His doctors have been giving him a high calorie diet via a feeding tube to help him become stronger. If no complications occur, the doctors say eventually he should be able to do most things he did before except vigorous exercise. If he becomes stronger, he may become eligible for a human heart transplant in the future.

The self-contained artificial heart implanted in Mr. Tools is called AbioCor and was developed by Abiomed (Danvers, MA, USA; www.abiomed.com). The device, including an energy coil, battery, and controller, weighs more than four pounds.


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