Third patient gets artificial heart

A THIRD patient in France has been given an artificial heart transplant, as the first phase of tests into the pioneering technology nears its end.

Georges-Pompidou hospital in Paris confirmed that the surgery took place a fortnight ago. It comes a few weeks after the second patient to receive an artificial Carmat heart gave an interview saying he "feels alive again".

A fourth patient is due to undergo the same surgery soon - bringing to an end the first phase of clinical trials into the artificial heart.

Daniel Duveau, one of the surgeons who led this latest operation, said: "The patient is awake, speaking and can sit up in an armchair. He is under very strict surveillance, as his medical condition requires. One doesn't recover from heart problems in just a few weeks."

However he said he was "optimistic" that the patient would make a full recovery.

The first patient to receive an artificial Carmat heart, a 76-year-old man, lived for 74 days after the surgery. The device aims to provide an alternative to patients who are on the waiting list for a transplant.

The second patient, who had the treatment in Nantes nine months ago, told a newspaper last month that he was recovering well.

The 69-year-old man, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: "It doesn't feel like I'm carrying something that isn't mine. I'm getting up, walking, bending over, keeping my balance. I don't even think about it."

He hopes the heart, which runs on rechargeable batteries, will give him another 20 years of life expectancy, but added: "Reaching 100 years old? Why not?"