In a first, doctors implant wireless heart pump that charges inside patient’s chest

With technology achieving new heights in medicine every day, doctors have successfully implanted a mechanical heart pump inside a human that charges itself inside the person’s chest and is aimed at enhancing life for ill patients awaiting transplants.

The device known as ventricular assist device (VAD) was implanted by doctors in Kazakhstan to a 24-year-old patient experiencing heart failure. What makes the device different from the rest is its ability to charge wirelessly, which eliminates the possibility if device failure.

Usually a VAD is charged through a power cord that runs from the device and out a hole in the patient’s abdomen. The cord is then connected either directly to a power outlet to charge the device, or to an external battery, reported Futurism.

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The wireless charging system created by tech firm Leviticus Cardio consists of a receiver inductive oil, a battery, and an internal controller, all which are implanted in the patient’s chest. The device gets about eight hours of use out of a single charge. When need to be recharged, the patient could simply slip on a vest comprising of an external coil that charges the inner coil electromagnetically.

Moreover, a wrist monitor helps keep track of the VAD. If the battery gets too low or the device goes through some major malfunctioning, an internal vibration alarm is triggered. An expert Nir Uriel, who was not involved in the research, described the study as an amazing one, saying that the medical community and patients have wanted this type of device for decades.

“This is a significant improvement in the quality of life experienced by the patient. The patient has the freedom to go about his daily routine without having to worry about being connected to a power source via a driveline and can forget for a few hours that he is supported by an LVAD [left ventricular assist device],” he said.