An artificial heart

by REINHARD BREUER

When the South African surgeon Christiaan Barnard successfully transplanted a human heart for the first time on December 3, 1967, a new age of medicine began. But until today, the hope of a new organ has only been fulfilled for a few people with a serious heart disease, because donor hearts are rare. There are currently more than 26 million people around the world whose heart is having trouble pumping enough blood around their bodies. With the rising average age in many societies, the number will continue to grow. In 2019, 35,000 died in Germany alone

Read more with bdw+

now Try 1 month FREE and access
on all articles of the magazine
image of science received!

secure offer

Are you already a bdw+ subscriber? Sign up here"

Are you already a subscriber to the bdw print magazine? Upgrade here»