Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, claiming approximately 18 million lives each year, according to the World Health Organization.
Although heart failure affects more than 23 million people annually, the availability of donated organs is very limited: only 6.000 transplants are performed each year, a figure insufficient to meet the high demand.
But this problem could be starting to change: in Australia, a patient with a state-of-the-art artificial heart was implanted, and he was able to be discharged after 100 days.
The patient received the device in November during a six-hour operation in Sydney, and has now been discharged after living with a mechanical heart for more than three months before receiving a transplant.
The artificial heart was developed by BiVACOR and is a mechanical blood pump made of titanium that completely replaces the function of the human heart, using a motor suspended by magnets to prevent wear, making it a more durable and reliable solution.