An artificial heart installed in a patient at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem, in an image released on May 29, 2025. (Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital)
An artificial heart has been successfully transplanted for the first time in Israel, saving the life of a patient, 63, Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital says.
In a seven-hour surgery this week, the patient’s heart was completely removed and replaced with a totally artificial heart made of titanium, combined with biological tissues from animals and advanced sensors.
To date, only 114 such surgeries have been performed worldwide.
The cost of the artificial heart is NIS 1.6 million ($455,472), covered by Clalit Health Services, the patient’s health fund.
“This is a major event in Israel, one that has never happened before,” says Prof. Ofer Amir, senior cardiologist and director of Hadassah’s Heart Institute, who led the operation.
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Thursday, May 29, 2025
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