Sofia, Oct 31 (BTA/GNA) – An artificial heart was successfully implanted in a 35-year-old man in Sofia’s Prof. Alexander Chirkov University Hospital, the hospital said on Monday. The patient was admitted and diagnosed with dilatative cardiomyopathy, which is a medical condition in which the hear loses its ability to contract and expand. The patient’s condition was life-threatening.
The surgery was performed successfully under Prof. Dimiter Petkov’s supervision. The implanted device is a pump that assumes the work of the heart’s left ventricle and helps the organ function. This allows patients to be stabilized until a heart transplant becomes available.
Patients with artificial heats can lead normal lives without heavy physical work. They carry a small bag with two batteries, connected to a computer, which are charged periodically. The device manufacturer replaces the batteries when needed. The artificial heart is covered by the National Health Insurance Fund.
BTA/GNA