For the first time following an 11-year study, Turkish scientists have successfully produced an artificial heart pump, a product previously only made by the U.S., Germany and Japan.
According to an article penned by a Turkish daily, the first Turkish produced artificial heart pump will be tried on specially bred pigs, an animal with a heart very similar to humans. The aim will be to pump blood in the heart of a pig weighing 80 kilograms for six hours straight.
This important breakthrough in Turkish medical science was realized by Professor Dr. Süha Küçükaksu, Professor İsmail Lazoğlu, İbrahim Başar Aka and Çağlar Öztürk.
The artificial pump is made of titanium, weighs 250 grams and features a 17-hour battery along with an electronic control panel. The invention is able to pump 8 liters of blood per hour, almost twice the 4.5 liters needed to sustain an adult human.
Artificial heart pumps are generally used in patients on transplant waiting lists. Currently, exported artificial pumps cost up to $94,000 (80,000 euros), but this domestic model is expected to cost much less.
