



Artificial heart from The Jarvik Artificial Heart System, donated by The Papworth Hospital, c1980. Non clinical use only, not for implant.
Invented in the 1970s by Robert Jarvik (b. 1946), an American physician, this artificial heart was intended to sustain critically ill heart patients in hospital while they were awaiting heart transplants. The plastic and Velcro model replicated the lower two chambers of the heart and was powered by an external compressor.
The first artificial heart was implanted into a patient in December 1982. The patient survived for 112 days. This example was donated to the Science Museum’s collections by the Papworth Hospital, the largest cardiothoracic hospital in the country and the main centre in the United Kingdom for heart and lung transplants.
On display
Science Museum: Making the Modern World Gallery
If you are visiting to see this object, please contact us in advance to make sure that it will be on display.
Related people
Details
- Category:
- Surgery
- Object Number:
- 1999-834 Pt1
- type:
- artificial heart
- taxonomy:
-
- furnishing and equipment
- tools & equipment
- prosthesis
- surgical implant
Cite this page
Rights
We encourage the use and reuse of our collection data.
Data in the title, made, maker and details fields are released under Creative Commons Zero
Descriptions and all other text content are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence
Download
Download catalogue entry as json
View manifest in IIIF viewer
Add to Animal Crossing Art Generator
Download manifest IIIF
Our records are constantly being enhanced and improved, but please note that we cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information shown on this website.