On May 14, 2013, the French company Carmat received permission to implant the artificial heart they developed in four different countries in patients who have reached the end stage of heart failure and where no transplant can be performed. These people have basically been treated. An LVAD is usually not given to these patients as long as the LVAD has not yet received the status 'destination therapy'.
After 15 years of research, CARMAT has succeeded in developing an artificial heart that has been perfected as much as possible in imitation of the human heart. The shape, volume, hemocompatibility (= the reaction of the blood to the material used) and the reliability of biological artificial valves were examined. An important part is that it is a pulsating artificial heart, just like the biological heart, the blood circulation is pushed through the veins with pulsating movements, so that the pulse can be felt. This is a clear difference with an LVAD that has a constant flow, so that no pulse is felt.
