For the First Time in History, a Fully Titanium Heart Has Been Transplanted into a Human

For the first time in history, a fully mechanical heart made of titanium has been transplanted into a human in the United States. The Texas Heart Institute (THI) and BiVACOR, a company engaged in the development of medical devices in clinical phases, announced the first implantation of a total artificial heart on Thursday (July 25).

The titanium heart is lightweight, almost non-wearing, and pumps up to 12 liters of blood per minute. This is a temporary solution while the patient awaits a complete donor heart.

The implant was developed by Texas scientists. The device is a "dual-chamber rotating blood pump" constructed of titanium with a single moving part.