Li Haining was once on the brink of death from severe heart disease, but just over three years ago, he was given a new lease of life.
The 25-year-old from Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, underwent surgery to implant an artificial heart powered by aerospace technology. The surgery was a success, and his condition has now massively improved, allowing him to live a normal life with the aid of the medical device.
The HeartCon artificial heart was jointly developed by Tianjin-based TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, the country’s leading rocket maker.
Functioning as a pump that delivers blood throughout the body, HeartCon significantly alleviates the symptoms of heart failure. Engineers describe the device as operating like a rocket's servomechanism, driven by a hydraulic pump.
Since gaining market approval in 2022, HeartCon has saved over 190 patients in advanced stages of heart failure, including Li.
Patients wear a small controller, similar in size to a mobile phone, on their waist. The device records data such as the speed, flow, power, and heart rate of the blood pump. A thin wire connects to the battery, continuously assisting in pumping blood to organs throughout the body.
Before the implant surgery in May 2021, Li suffered from cold sweats and struggled with breathing difficulties while waiting anxiously for a heart transplant due to a lack of donors.
\"I was prepared for the worst,\" he recalled.
There are at least 16 million people in the Chinese mainland suffering from heart failure. The scarcity of donors and effective medications limits human organ transplants. Fortunately, the development of artificial hearts has emerged as a promising solution to extend the lives of these patients, said Liu Xiaocheng, head of the TEDA Hospital.
Since being discharged from the hospital, Li has gained 12 kilograms, found a girlfriend, and is now able to support himself financially. Some patients have experienced even better recovery and successfully had their artificial hearts removed.
The domestically made HeartCon is cheaper than imported products. According to its developers, the HeartCon II, featuring a smaller and lighter passive magnetic suspension design, is currently being tested.
\"We will continue the collaboration between medicine and engineering to save more lives,\" Liu said.
Reference(s):
Rocket technology-powered device saves patients with heart failure
cgtn.com
