Quite a day in science history is the subject of today’s feature. On this date in 1982, the very first person received a permanent artificial heart. Dr. Barney B. Clark was a Seattle dentist who suffered from congestive heart failure. Doctors said he was too far gone to receive an actual heart transplant, so he was the logical and idea candidate for an artificial heart. He lived longer than was expected following this transplant–112 days. He was willing to take this risk for the furtherance of science. And even though he ultimately died, it did advance research on artificial hearts. While these have improved, there has never been a successful implantation that has caused the recipient to live past 620 days.
For more information:
http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/12/dayintech_1202jarvikheart/
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6957