First Artificial Heart Implanted this day in 1982
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The news was rife with such information back in the day and I was pursuing a medical career and while very interested, I remained detached from the developments given the life span of those who participated in early trials.
It seemed that the 'second chance' touted by Louis Washkansky upon his own transplant were short lived at best and I was personally afraid to be too hopeful at those beginning stages.
Doctors at the University of Utah Medical Center performed the first implant of a permanent artificial heart in a Seattle dentist who became a medical pioneer Dr Barney Clark.
Dr Clark suffered from severe congestive heart failure and was considered too ill for a heart transplant.
This made implantation of an artificial heart his only viable option.
He received The Jarvik-7 artificial heart designed by Robert Jarvik.
On March 23, 1983, Barney Clark died 112 days after becoming the world's first recipient of the permanent artificial heart.
He remains a hero of the highest order in the annals of cardiopulmonary health care and research toward that end.
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