Prototype of the HeartSaver VAD, Ottawa, Canada, 1999
Powdered by rechargeable batteries, this device is known as a HeartSaver VAD (Ventricle Assisted Device). Used to assist a faulty heart, this is a prototype of the HeartSaver that is hoped will be fully implantable into the chest for patients awaiting transplants or recovering from long term heart trouble. The ventricles are the lower chambers of the heart that pump blood out to the rest of the body. This example was made at the University of Ottawa.
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Artificial body parts, or materials inserted into tissue for functional, cosmetic, or therapeutic effect. Prostheses can be functional (artificial arms and legs), or cosmetic (artificial eye).
Glossary: artificial heart
A mechanical device that is implanted into the body to replace the heart. A true artificial heart is very rare, and the term is often confused with a ventricular assist device - a device that is used to partially or completely replace the function of a failing heart.