For the first time in Israel, the successful transplant of a completely artificial heart was performed at Hadassah-University Medical Center in Jerusalem’s Ein Kerem in a 63-year-old patient who would have otherwise died.
The patient’s heart was removed from his body and replaced with a special artificial heart made of titanium combined with biological animal tissues and advanced sensors. The seven-hour-long operation – called Total Artificial Heart Therapy Implantation of a Total Artificial Heart (TAH) – was led by an extensive medical team that included cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, anesthesiologists, intensive care specialists, operating room nurses, and heart-lung machine technicians.
TAH is a treatment option for patients with end-stage biventricular failure, a severe stage of heart failure where both the left and right ventricles of the heart are unable to pump blood effectively, leading to a variety of symptoms and potentially life-threatening complications.
