Definition

Noun: A type of artificial heart, specifically a mechanical device designed to replace the function of a human heart, which has been used in medical practice with some degree of success.

Usage

The term "Jarvik heart" is used to refer specifically to this pioneering model of artificial heart. It is a proper noun, typically capitalized, and used in medical and historical contexts.

Examples

• The Jarvik heart represented a significant milestone in the development of permanent mechanical circulatory support.
• Early clinical trials with the Jarvik heart provided crucial data for future artificial organ designs.
• Surgeons implanted the Jarvik heart as a bridge to transplantation for the patient.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in discussions about the history of medical technology, bioengineering, and medical ethics.
• It may be mentioned in contrast to later, more advanced models of ventricular assist devices (VADs) and total artificial hearts.

Variants and Related Words

• Artificial Heart (n): The general term for any mechanical device that replaces the heart.
• Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) (n): A mechanical pump that supports heart function and blood flow, often used as a related but distinct technology.
• Jarvik-7 (n): The specific model name for the most well-known Jarvik heart.

Synonyms

• Artificial heart
• Mechanical heart
• Prosthetic heart

Notes

• The "Jarvik heart" is named after its inventor, Dr. Robert Jarvik.
• Its most famous model, the Jarvik-7, was first successfully implanted in a human in 1982.
• It is important to distinguish this specific device from modern, continuous-flow ventricular assist devices which operate on different principles.

Noun

1. a kind of artificial heart that has been used with some success