Artificial Heart Research

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The health of the human heart is vital to the life of humans. Without a well-working heart, human life is made difficult and dangerous. A natural heart has four chambers: the left and right atria, and the left and right ventricles. In the heart, the blood is collected in the right atrium and is pumped by the right ventricle into the lungs to get oxygenated (Institute of Physics, 2012). After the blood becomes oxygenated, it is pumped back into the left atrium and is distributed throughout the body by the left ventricle and the aorta. Each side of the heart has a pair of valves that control the flow of the blood. The tricuspid and the bicuspid valves separate the right side and the left side of the heart. The semilunar valves, also known as pulmonary and aortic, transfer the blood from and to the lungs. If these valves do not function properly, complications may arise (Carson, Richman, & Creel, 2000). …show more content…
Artificial hearts that are manufactured by Syncardia Systems have to use an external pump to circulate blood (Institute of Physics, 2012). However, the Jarvik-7 artificial heart was designed for long-term use and was implanted in 1969, 1978, and 1981 (NOVA, 1999). Another model that was created by AbioCor is powered through an internal pump and battery. This particular type of artificial heart can be charged through transcutaneous energy transmission – a method of transferring energy without having to penetrate the skin. The AbioCor model is the artificial heart that involves physics the most. AbioCor TAHs, or total artificial hearts, require a heart monitor to be installed through the abdomen (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute,