It is big news that a 16-month-old baby with cardiomyopathy survived thanks to the implantation of the smallest artificial heart. Only the name of the latter is incorrect. The pump used to bridge the gap to the heart transplant, which the boy underwent 2 weeks later, is actually the smallest version of an LVAD, a Left Ventricular Assist Device. The pump, which weighs only 11 grams, was only tested on animals and developed by Dr. Robert Jarvik. With special permission from the FDA and the Italian Ministry of Health, it has been made possible to implant this LVAD in this child. A first that holds great promise for the future of other children in similar situations.
