Chinese doctors implant world's smallest, lightest artificial heart
17 Apr 2025 15:01
BEIJING (WAM)Chinese doctors have successfully implanted the world's smallest and lightest artificial heart that uses magnetic levitation technology into a seven-year-old boy, giving him more time to wait for a heart transplant.According to a report by China Daily, the miniature device weighs 45 grams and has a diameter of 2.9 centimetres. Its size is comparable to that of the cap of a standard plastic water bottle, and it is approximately half the weight of the smallest maglev-powered heart pump designed for adults.The Union Hospital affiliated to Tongji Medical College at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, Hubei province, said on Tuesday that the operation was carried out on March 30, and the boy is now in stable condition and awaiting further treatment.
The development of the artificial heart stemmed from a research program initiated by the hospital and an innovative medical equipment company based in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, in 2021. The hospital has also partnered with nearly 20 domestic and foreign medical institutions to carry out clinical research.
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