Recipient of second artificial heart says he’s back on his bike

A man who in August became the second person to receive a much-hyped new-generation artificial heart said in his first interview Sunday he had “recovered” to the point of going on bike rides. The 69-year-old man, who wishes to remain anonymous, was terminally ill with a heart condition when he received the transplant exactly eight months ago in the western city of Nantes, France. It was the second attempt at the surgery – 76-year-old Claude Dany died 10 weeks after receiving the experimental device – but the second patient has fared much better.

I walk, I get up and I bend over 10 to 15 times a day, without any problem. I keep my balance. I’m not bothered. I don’t even think about it. In fact, pretty much from the day I was operated, I felt myself come alive again.

The father-of-two, speaking to the JDD weekly.

The artificial heart uses soft “biomaterials” intended to lessen the risk of blood clots and rejection by the immune system. It is powered by a belt of lithium batteries. After this success, Carmat plans to carry out the first phase of feasibility trials on four terminal patients. The second phase will see around 20 patients receive an artificial heart, according to Carmat.

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