Technology is meant to be shared

Thanks to aerospace technology, the medical industry may soon be taking artificial hearts to new heights.

A tiny sensor used for measuring air pressure and altitude in aircraft and satellites is a key factor in providing renewed hope to patients suffering from heart failure, especially patients unable to respond to drug therapy, ventricular assistance or a heart transplant.

For 15 years, French heart surgeon Dr. Alain Carpentier worked with aerospace engineers from the Franco- German defense and aerospace company EADS (European Aeronautics Defense & Space) to develop an artificial heart that reacts to physical activity by automatically increasing or decreasing the heart rate and blood pressure. In case you have not heard of EADS, they are best known for designing and building Airbus jets.

The developers of the new mechanical heart believe it is the closest thing available to the human heart. It is designed with two pumps, which more accurately resembles the function of a real heart's two ventricles. It also includes a system of miniature aerospace sensors that react to physical activity. In addition, the prosthesis uses composite bio-tech materials - made from animal tissue and chemically treated to eliminate the risk of blood clots - which, according to Carpentier, has plagued earlier artificial hearts.

To date, the heart has been tested in the lab and in animals, and according to Carpentier, none of the parts have shown any signs of wearing out. Yet, it could take up to two years for French medical authorities to give approval for human testing. However, once approved, human trials will begin on approximately 20 volunteer heart patients. The heart will be built by Carmat, a biomedical subsidiary of EADS, with funding from Osea, the French state bank that supports innovative companies, as well as from venture capitalists.

For an estimated 20,000 people worldwide seeking a heart transplant each year, this has the potential to be a life-altering event. Unfortunately, these people will not be able to reap the benefits of this artificial heart for at least another three to four years. And once approved, it is estimated to cost between $200,000 and $250,000.

Should this new artificial heart prove to be reliable and durable, it will lead to shorter transplant wait-lists and save the lives of many of the 17 million people who die from heart disease each year.

Carpentier sees the new mechanical hearts being used on critically-ill patients in need of artificial hearts as a last resort, end-of-life treatment. However, he also believes the new heart will become a life-line among younger heart patients who may be in better shape to recover from an artificial-organ transplant.

I find this story both fascinating and intriguing. I am fascinated by the fact that this artificial heart represents new hope for people with heart disease, which is the world's top killer. And I am intrigued by the efforts of individuals from different business sectors working together and sharing technology to make this mechanical heart possible. This just goes to show that technology is meant to be shared. I am sure the day is coming when the medical device industry will come to the aid of the aerospace industry, provide valuable insights to the alternative energy market, or help the automotive sector gain back its strength and competitiveness.