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| University of Utah Medical Center |
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| Barney Clark & Jarvik 7 |
Today
marks the 29th anniversary of the death of Dr. Barney Clark, the
first permanent artificial heart recipient. On December 2, 1982, Dr William
DeVries implanted the Jarvik 7 mechanical heart into 61-year-old Barney Clark
at the University of Utah Medical Center in Salt Lake City. He survived 112
days after the implant, dying on March 23, 1983.
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| Clark with medical staff before the operation |
Clark,
a retired dentist from Seattle, suffered from sever congestive heart
failure. He knew he did not have
long to live, so he volunteered to
undergo a radical procedure as a way to draw attention to the need for
further medical research in this area.
Clark told doctors he hoped that they might learn more during his
treatment, so that more lives could be saved in the future.
In
1976, Clark had contracted a viral infection. His heart muscles became swollen, enlarging his heart and making it harder for blood
to flow there. By 1982,
doctors had determined that Clark was too ill to be given a heart
transplant. The only option left
open to him was the implantation of the artificial heart.  |
| Dr. Robert Jarvik with the Jarvik 7 |
Dr.
Robert Jarvik designed the state-of the-art Jarvik 7. The mechanical plastic and aluminum heart was the first of
its type for permanent use in a human. The artificial heart mimicked a natural
heart’s function with two air powered heart-shaped pumps that were implanted
into the patient. These pumps were
connected to an external pneumatic compressor, about the size of a refrigerator,
weighing over 400 pounds. The pump was extremely noisy and the size of the
compressor made it impossible for the patient to move around. Barney Clark never left the hospital after the unprecedented operation.  |
| Front Page of the New York Daily News |
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| Barney Clark & Dr William DeVries |
Clark
had told doctors before the surgery that he did not expect to survive more than
a few days after the implant. But
he did. Although doctors were
elated by his progress, Clark was miserable. He drifted in and out of
consciousness and suffered from a multitude of complications. He underwent four
more surgeries, after which he battled repeated infections, experienced several
episodes of sever bleeding, suffered a broken heart valve, and endured chronic clotting, which led to a series of strokes. Several times, Clark
requested to be allowed to die.
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| Clark tethered to his machines |
Through
it all, the mechanical heart continued to pump, maintaining Clark’s normal
blood flow and sustaining his life for 112 day. Doctors continued to express
their concerns about the threat of infections and pulmonary problems that could
arise since Clark was immobilized.
Then on the evening of March 23, 1983, medical officials announced that
Clark had died of “circulatory collapse and secondary multi-organ system
failure.”
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| Dr Robert Jarvik in 1982 |
Medical
professionals were divided as to whether the research done at the time of
Clark’s implant had been conclusive enough to warrant attempting to implant an
artificial heart into a human. Articles were published and the media reported that the Jarvik 7 heart was banned from use. However, a version
of this artificial heart still functions today. Known as the SynCardia Temporary CardioWest Total Artificial
Heart, it has been implanted in more than 800 people as a temporary heart,
helping patients’ bridge the time until a donor heart can be found.
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| William Schroeder |
Medical research into the artificial heart did not die with Barney Clark. On
November 25, 1984, William Schroeder, of Jasper, Indiana became the second man
to receive the Jarvik 7 artificial heart.
He lived for 620 days; the longest that anyone had survived with an
artificial heart.
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| Peter Houghten |
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| Jarvik 2000 |
Today, artificial hearts have been transplanted in people, even children, around
the world. The artificial heart is the size of a C battery and is connected by
a small cord to a battery pack that is worn around the body. The longest living
artificial heart recipient, Peter Houghton of England, lived for seven
years. He died in 2007 of
multi-organ failure. The
artificial heart had to be turned off.
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| Commemorative Stamp |
At
the time of Barney Clark’s death a hospital spokesman told reporters, ''He
was an incredible man, one of the strongest men I have ever known…. He did a
service to mankind and the knowledge that we will gain from him will serve us
all.''
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| Barney Clark's Grave (Courtesy E.J. Stephens) |
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| Clark's Memorial in Utah |
Barney Clark was laid to rest in Washington Memorial Park
Cemetery in SeaTac, Washington. In
Provo, Utah, a memorial stands to Dr. Clark, a medical pioneer, and a
man who helped make the dreadful wait for a donated heart a little easier to handle.
~ Joy
