However, the Jarvik-7 total artificial heart does have its drawbacks. In the US national clinical trial, there were many failures along with the successes of the Jarvik-7 total artificial heart. The most common source of morbidity (a diseased state) was infection which occurred in ninety percent of the patients, but only in ten percent was the infection considered severe [2]. No serious neurologic events caused death, but there were “three seizures, two episodes of impaired state of consciousness, one retinal hemorrhage, one retinal embolus [a mass of clotted blood] and one cerebrovascular accident” [2].
Picture of Jarvik-7 heart courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org
Information from
[2] Lavee J, Paz Y. Mechanical Alternatives to the Human Heart: Intracorporeal Assist Systems and Total Artificial Heart, Israel Medical Association Journal 2002; 4 (3): 209-212. Available from: http://www.ima.org.il/imaj/ar02mar-16.pdf. Accessed 2008 Mar. 29.
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