There are times when infants are born with defective hearts and will not survive if they are not treated appropriately. While in most cases, medical therapy will suffice, sometimes surgery is required. Congenital heart surgery has advanced tremendously in the last 2 decades but sometimes the heart defect can be so severe that the only option is transplantation. While the technique of heart transplant is relatively simple, getting a donor heart is extremely difficult. Very few people donate organs for transplantation and it is the shortage of organs which has created a crises. Now, scientists have developed many types of artificial heart devices. These devices are made of metal and involve complex technologies- most mechanical artificial hearts are large and cumbersome. Only a few can be placed inside the chest and others are placed outside the body with several tubing attachments.
The Berlin heart is small and compact and comes in various sizes and can also be used in children. Like the namesake, the device was developed at the Berlin heart center in Germany. The Berlin heart can take over the pumping action of the heart and pump blood directly to the rest of the body.
The Berlin heart is planted outside the heart and only the tubes are attached to the inside of the heart. The system consists of a pneumatic compressor and is run by a computerized program.
The Berlin heart is only for temporary use until a donor heart becomes available for a transplant. The Berlin heart is not yet approved for use by the FDA and is only available after approval from the FDA on a case by case review. Once the device is used, it is retuned back to Germany. The Berlin heart has saved many lives and is a smart alternative for children with failing heart who are waiting a heart transplant.