Israeli surgeons perform country’s first full artificial heart transplant
Hadassah team replaces entire heart with CARMAT device, offering hope for critically ill patients
A 63-year-old man has become the first person in Israel to receive a total artificial heart after a groundbreaking operation by doctors at Hadassah Medical Organisation.
The seven-hour procedure marked the first time a complete human heart was removed and replaced with a fully artificial one in the country. Globally, only 114 such procedures have been performed to date.
Until now, Israel had only used partial mechanical devices such as LVADs (left ventricular assist devices), which rely on the patient’s original heart and are only effective in cases of left-side heart failure. This new technology offers a lifeline for patients whose entire heart has collapsed.
“This was a major milestone in Israel, something unprecedented,” said Professor Offer Amir, director of Hadassah’s Heart Institute, who led the months of planning ahead of the surgery.
The artificial heart – built from titanium, animal tissue and precision sensors – was developed by French company CARMAT and is represented in Israel by Tzamal Medical. The transplant required two operating theatres: one to prepare the implant and the other to remove the patient’s heart and connect him to a heart-lung machine.
Once implanted, the device gradually took over from the heart-lung machine until it was independently circulating blood throughout the patient’s body.
“For the first time in Israel, we can offer a lifesaving solution for those whose entire heart has failed,” said Dr Amit Korach, head of the cardiothoracic surgery.
The medical team included cardiac surgeons, intensive care specialists, anaesthesiologists, and technicians from CARMAT, alongside Hadassah’s Dr Alexander Lipey-Diamant, Dr Rabea Asleh, Dr Ayman Murar and Dr Ralitsa Stoynova.
“It felt like I was standing in the future,” said Dr Lipey-Diamant.
The complex operation followed months of training and logistical planning, including special instruction in France and coordination with the patient’s insurance provider and Israel’s Health Ministry.
The patient, who had advanced heart failure and severe breathing problems, faced imminent death while waiting for a human donor. After extensive testing, doctors concluded he was a suitable candidate for the artificial heart, which is expected to give him at least two years of high-quality life while awaiting a transplant.
Hadassah says the procedure opens the door to a new era of cardiac treatment in Israel.
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