Friday, July 17, 2009

Artificial Heart

An artificial heart is a mechanical device that is implanted into the body to replace the biological heart.

The term “artificial heart” has often inaccurately been used to describe ventricular assist devices (VADs), which are pumps that assist the heart but do not replace it.

An artificial heart is also distinct from a cardiopulmonary bypass machine (CPB), which is an external device used to provide the functions of both the heart and lungs. CPBs are only used for a few hours at a time, most commonly during heart surgery.