Medical School Team Successfully Implants Nuclear-Powered Heart Device in Living Calf

The National Heart and Lung Institute announced Thursday the first use of nuclear energy to power an artificial heart pump in a living animal.

Dr. Theodore Cooper director of the Institute, reported at a Washington press conference that on February 14, a research team from Harvard Medical School and the Thermo-Elecron Corp. of Waltham, implanted a heart assist system with a nuclear engine in a calf.

Cooper announced at the same conference that the first total artificial heart to be completely implanted has undergone short-term animal tests.

Although this complete four-chambered heart pump implant is powered electrically--with external connections or internal rechargeable batteries--it may also be powered by a small nuclear engine.

Dr. Lowell T. Harmison, head of the Institute's artificial heart program, said Thursday that the "complete system is now ready for long-term animal trials."

Ready in a Decade

At a Saturday press conference at the Medical School, Harmison said that the nuclear powered artificial heart "will be ready for consideration of human clinical testing" at the end of this decade. However, the Institute's Washington press release stated that a decision to develop clinical systems for human consumption may be made within three-and-a-half or four years.

Dr. John C. Norman '50, who headed the research team at Harvard, said Saturday that on an energy basis, the efficiency of the total artificial heart--powered by electrical energy--is "in excess" of that of the natural heart.

Norman described the research project, begun in 1964, as a "moonshot." "The program has matured and become more sophisticated over the years," he added. Norman cited the "efforts of a large number of people in many labs across the country."

The assist device implanted by the Harvard team replaces the action of the left ventricle, the heart's main pumping chamber. Norman noted Saturday that most heart failures are actually left ventricle failures.