
The world's first implantable electro-mechanical heart was designed by Vladimir Demikhov in 1937 while he was a fourth-year biology student in Voronezh, Soviet Union. The heart was made up of two diaphragm pumps, which were powered by an electric motor. The first implantation of an artificial heart in a human was in 1982 when Dr. Barney Clark received the Jarvik-7, which was designed by a team including Willem Johan Kolff, William DeVries, and Robert Jarvik. The Jarvik-7 was the first artificial heart intended to last a lifetime.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Inventor of the first electro-mechanical heart | Vladimir Demikhov |
| Year invented | 1937 |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Occupation | Fourth-year biology student |
| Prototype | Apparatus for extracorporeal blood circulation invented by Sergei Bryukhonenko of Moscow |
| Size | Size of a dog's heart |
| Composition | Two diaphragm pumps brought into motion by an electric motor |
| Testing subject | Dog |
| Outcome of test | The dog lived for 2.5 hours |
| First human test | 1982, Barney Clark |
| Inventor of the first human electro-mechanical heart | Robert Jarvik, Willem Kolff, and William DeVries |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The first electro-mechanical heart was the Jarvik-7, implanted in 1982
- The device was made from aluminium and polyurethane
- It was designed by a team including Willem Johan Kolff, William DeVries and Robert Jarvik
- The patient, Barney Clark, lived for 112 days with the artificial heart
- The first artificial heart was patented in the 1950s

The first electro-mechanical heart was the Jarvik-7, implanted in 1982
The first electro-mechanical heart to be implanted in a human was the Jarvik-7, which took place in 1982. The heart was designed by a team including Willem Johan Kolff, William DeVries, and Robert Jarvik. The Jarvik-7 had two air-powered pumps that replicated the heart's function at 40-120 beats per minute. Each chamber had a disk-like mechanism made of polyurethane that pushed blood through the heart from the inflowing valve to the exiting valve. The Jarvik-7 was later renamed the Cardiowest Total Artificial Heart.
The first recipient of the Jarvik-7 was Dr. Barney Clark, a dentist from Seattle. Clark's natural heart was removed and replaced with the artificial heart by DeVries, a cardiothoracic surgeon, at the University of Utah Hospital. The artificial heart was connected to a 400-pound air compressor that Clark would have to carry with him for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, Clark passed away 112 days after the operation due to circulatory collapse and secondary multi-organ failure.
Despite Clark's death, the implantation of the Jarvik-7 was considered a success and a major milestone in the development of artificial hearts. The Jarvik-7 was the first artificial heart intended to last a lifetime, and it captivated the world, with its significance compared to putting a man on the moon or seeing Saturn's rings for the first time. The operation inspired further research and development in the field of mechanical heart devices, challenging the boundaries of what is possible in medicine.
While the Jarvik-7 was the first successful implantation of an artificial heart in a human, it was not the first attempt to create an artificial heart. Soviet scientist Vladimir Demikhov, a pioneer in organ transplantation, implanted an artificial heart into a dog in 1937, and the first artificial heart was patented in the 1950s by American Paul Winchell, although his creation was never put into use.
Electrical C License: Application Process and Requirements
You may want to see also
Explore related products

The device was made from aluminium and polyurethane
The first permanent artificial heart was implanted in 1982. Known as the Jarvik-7, this device was made from aluminium and polyurethane. The Jarvik-7 was designed by a team including Willem Johan Kolff, William DeVries and Robert Jarvik. DeVries, an American cardiothoracic surgeon, performed the surgery on Dr. Barney Clark, a dentist from Seattle.
The Jarvik-7 was connected to a 400-pound air compressor, which accompanied Clark for the rest of his life, all 112 days of it. The device consisted of two "air-powered pumps" that replicated the heart's function at 40-120 beats per minute. Each chamber had a "disk-like mechanism" made of polyurethane that pushed blood through the device from the inflowing valve to the exiting valve. The polyurethane drive lines were reinforced and coated to promote tissue growth.
The Jarvik-7 was not the first attempt at creating an artificial heart. In 1937, Soviet scientist Vladimir Demikhov, a pioneer in the field of organ transplantation, implanted an artificial heart into a dog. This device was made up of two diaphragm pumps, powered by an electric motor. Demikhov's invention was the first of its kind, and his experiments mainly involved testing on dogs.
In 1969, the Liotta-Cooley artificial heart was implanted into a patient as a stopgap measure. This device was also made from polyurethane, which was used to create cuffs that attached the device to the heart's natural atria.
Camping Comfort: Electric Sites for Downslope Camping
You may want to see also
Explore related products

It was designed by a team including Willem Johan Kolff, William DeVries and Robert Jarvik
The first permanent artificial heart, known as the Jarvik-7, was implanted in a human in 1982. The device was designed by a team including Willem Johan Kolff, William DeVries and Robert Jarvik.
DeVries, an American cardiothoracic surgeon, performed the surgery on Dr. Barney Clark, a dentist from Seattle. Clark's natural heart was ravaged, tearing like tissue paper due to years of treatment with steroids. The artificial heart was connected to a 400-pound air compressor, which Clark would have to carry with him for the rest of his life. Clark lived for 112 days with the Jarvik-7 before dying from circulatory collapse and secondary multi-organ failure.
The Jarvik-7 was powered by an electronic unit the size of a refrigerator, which supplied power to the device and controlled its pump rate, pumping pressure, and other essential functions. The artificial heart itself was made of aluminium and polyurethane and had two "air-powered pumps" that copied the heart's function at 40-120 beats per minute.
Willem Johan Kolff, one of the designers of the Jarvik-7, also worked with American scientist Robert Jarvik, the namesake of the device, to develop the artificial heart. Kolff was a pioneer in the field of organ transplantation and had successfully transplanted a heart and lung into a dog in 1946.
Electrical Wiring: Modern Materials and Their Benefits
You may want to see also
Explore related products

The patient, Barney Clark, lived for 112 days with the artificial heart
The world's first permanent artificial heart was implanted in Dr. Barney Clark, a 62-year-old dentist from Seattle, on December 2, 1982. The operation was performed by cardiothoracic surgeon William DeVries at the University of Utah Hospital. Clark's natural heart was in poor condition due to years of steroid treatment, tearing like tissue paper during the procedure.
The artificial heart implanted in Clark was known as the Jarvik-7, named after its inventor, former University of Utah physician and medical doctor Robert Jarvik. The device was constructed from aluminium and polyurethane and was connected to a 400-pound air compressor. The Jarvik-7 was the first artificial heart intended to last a lifetime and was designed to replace Clark's heart permanently, rather than serving as a temporary measure until a donor heart became available.
Barney Clark lived for 112 days with the Jarvik-7 artificial heart. He ultimately passed away on March 23, 1983, with his cause of death stated as "circulatory collapse and secondary multi-organ system failure." Despite the relatively short time he survived with the artificial heart, Clark's case represented a significant milestone in the history of medicine, challenging researchers to explore new possibilities in the field of mechanical heart devices.
Clark's experience with the Jarvik-7 heart also highlighted the potential for using mechanical devices to support and extend the lives of patients with heart failure. Today, patients with heart failure can benefit from the implantation of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), which weigh only ten ounces and have a diameter of 2.5 inches. These devices can provide valuable support while the patient's heart recovers, and in some cases, may even eliminate the need for heart transplantation.
Opening Electric Sliding Gates: A Manual Override Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products

The first artificial heart was patented in the 1950s
The idea of an artificial heart has been around for a long time, with the first theory of "mechanical circulatory support" hypothesised by Julien Jean Cesar LeGallois in 1812. However, it wasn't until the 1950s that the first artificial heart was patented. This was created by American Paul Winchell, a ventriloquist and comedian with some medical training. He was assisted by Henry Heimlich, known for the choking treatment that bears his name. However, Winchell's creation was never put into use.
Winchell submitted his patent in the summer of 1956, but there were two prior patents filed before his submission, on 10 April 1956 and 17 April 1959.
In 1969, the Liotta-Cooley artificial heart, designed by Domingo Liotta and Denton A. Cooley, was implanted into a patient as a stopgap measure. However, the patient died soon after the surgery.
The first successful implantation of an artificial heart occurred in 1982 with the Jarvik-7, designed by a team including Willem Johan Kolff, William DeVries, and Robert Jarvik. This was the first artificial heart intended to last a lifetime. DeVries, an American cardiothoracic surgeon, performed the surgery on Dr. Barney Clark, a Seattle dentist. The Jarvik-7 had two "air-powered pumps" that replicated the heart's function, and it was powered by a large electronic unit the size of a refrigerator. Clark lived for 112 days with the Jarvik-7 before passing away, and his willingness to pioneer this new technology inspired further research and advancements in the field of mechanical heart devices.
The Electric Slide: Its True Meaning and History
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The first electromechanical heart was invented by Soviet scientist Vladimir Demikhov in 1937.
No, Demikhov's invention was transplanted into a dog.
The first electromechanical heart was implanted into a human in 1969 by Domingo Liotta and Denton A. Cooley at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston.
The first electromechanical heart implanted into a human was called the Jarvik-7.




























