NO PULSE? NO PROBLEM

“Beatles heart” replaces damaged hearts’ blood pumping action with constant flow.

Now, being a completely heartless man may not be such a bad thing after all—if a device developed at the Texas Heart Institute becomes the next big thing in cardiology.

Two surgeons at the Huston based medical center jerry-rigged two existing apparatuses called ventricular assist devices to create what they call the “beatless heart”.

By intricately linking the tiny devices to work as one unit, Dr. Billy Cohn and Dr. O. H. “Bud” Frazier were able to save the life of 55 year old Craig Lewis by completely removing his unsalvageable heart and replacing it with the newfangled device.

The successful surgical procedure made Lewis the first human being to receive a beatless heart.

Unlike standard artificial hearts, which have been in use for years now and which mimic the human heartbeat, the new device constantly spins, not flexes, creating a constant blood flow.

Thanks to its small size, the device also represents hope for women and others whose smaller bodies or other conditions prevent the implantation of artificial hearts.