Building a working replacement for Other implantable contents, such as an

the cardiac muscle as a permanent solution internal battery and a transcutaneous energy
for end-stage heart failure has been a highly transfer coil complete the inner parts of the
sought for goal in the field of medicine since it system.
was first hypothesized by Julien Jean Cesar
Unlike the SynCardia TAH it lacks a
LeGallois in 1812[1]. Since then, numerous
transdermal driveline. Energy transmission
medical trials and prototypes have been
occurs by induction between paired internal
designed and carried out to create a
and external coils—maintaining the normal
completely mechanical biventricular aid
skin barrier reduces the risk of infection[2].
system that compensates the lack of a healthy
natural heart. Since its approval for voluntary use in 2006, it
has only been implanted once at Robert Wood
As of the time of this writing, there is
Johnson University Hospital in 2009[2].
only one commercially available, bridge-to-
transplant total artificial heart—a later  CARMAT TAH
iteration of the previously mentioned Jarvik-
Created with the aim of replicating the shape
7. This specific prothesis and other
of a natural heart, each of its ventricles,
noteworthy models are listed and briefly
compartments, and two hydraulic pumps
described below:
have a volume of 750 ml in total. The
 SynCardia TAH implantable hardware includes an
electrohydraulic drive embedded to the
The current version of the Jarvik-7. With over
prosthetic, which still relies on an outer
1700 completed transplants around the
power source but does not require a
world[2], it is the most commonly employed
pneumatic actuator[2].
TAH in clinical interventions following heart
failure. Weighing 160 grams and occupying a Its valves are composed of biological material
volume of 400 ml[2], its small size (namely fabrics treated with bovine
accommodates both adults and teenagers in pericardium). This novel approach reduces
need of vascular support. the risk of thrombosis, but the durability of
the materials is ultimately compromised[2]. It
The implant itself is comprised by two
large size compared to the smaller SynCardia
ventricles made from biocompatible plastic,
TAH is also an obstacle. Pivotal trials are still
linked through the skin by a driveline to an
ongoing to determine the feasibility of the
external pump [2]. An advantage particular to
model on patients suffering from cardiac
the SynCardia TAH is its Freedom Driver
failure but ineligible for heart transplant[2].
control system, a portable external console
with a 2 hour battery life that allows the
patient to move around [2], instead of being
constantly bedbound.
The SynCardia TAH, however, is solely used to
increase the life expectancy of patients that References
are awaiting a heart donor and is not a  [1] Hogness J, VanAntwerp M. The
destination therapy alternative. artificial heart. 1st ed. Washington,
 Abiocor TAH D.C.: National Academy Press; 1991.
 [2]
It is larger in size compared to the SynCardia
https://syncardia.com/clinicians/our
TAH, fitting only 50% of adult males and 18%
-products/see-all-our-products/
of adult females[2]. Its specific dimensions
 [2]
are 1090 grams corresponding to the pump
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/a
module which also has a volume of 800 ml[2].
rticles/PMC3853833/
 [2]
https://www.jbiomech.com/article/S
0021-9290(12)00684-7/abstract
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https://www.scopus.com/record/dis
play.uri?eid=2-s2.0-
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https://www.jhltonline.org/article/S
1053-2498(03)00364-4/abstract?
code=healun-site
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https://www.sciencedirect.com/scien
ce/article/pii/S1521689612000304
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https://link.springer.com/chapter/10
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https://academic.oup.com/ejcts/artic
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https://academic.oup.com/ejcts/artic
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 [2] https://labiotech.eu/artificial-
heart-failure-carmat/