http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/offbeat/man-lives-555-days-without-a-heart-in-his-body-until-he-receives-transplant/ar-AAgOiey?ocid=spartanntpAfter 555 days of living without a human heart, this Michigan man has finally replaced his portable artificial device for the real thing.
Stan Larkin, 25, was the first person in Michigan to be fitted for the SynCardia Freedom Portable Driver, an artificial heart designed to fit conveniently in his backpack.
He was diagnosed with familial cardiomyopathy when he was a teenager, and has been battling heart failure until December 2014, when his heart had to be removed. He was also unable to receive a transplant on time.
"We wanted to get heart transplants, but we didn't think we had enough time," said Dr. Jonathan Haft, an associate professor that worked with Larkin, in a press release.
Though existing devices that assist with partial heart failure wouldn't be suitable for Larkin, new technology suited his needs perfectly. Larkin was the lucky first candidate to try out the portable artificial heart that allowed him to spend Christmas at home as he waited for a transplant.
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