A renowned cardiac surgeon has teamed up with a French biomedical company
to develop an artificial heart that closely mimics the human heart.

CARMAT - A French biomedical company and a globally renowned cardiac surgeon
are putting the final touches on an implantable artificial heart that could
help hundreds of thousands of patients.

Alain Carpentier, the French surgeon who developed the heart, is one of
the world's leading practitioners of cardiac valve repair and has already
created a series of artificial valves used widely in surgery.

"There have been many models, but all the models have been facing
the problem of clot formation," said Dr. Carpentier.

In recent decades Dr. Carpentier has developed specific bioprosthetic
materials which are known not to trigger clot formation.

"What was also necessary was to improve the imodynamic, which
means the circulation of blood inside the heart, and the function. As far as
the function was concerned, I tried to mimic the normal function of the heart.
And this is why this heart has a lot of sensors. And this is also why this
heart, just like the natural heart, has two pumps and not only one. Just like
our heart," said Dr. Carpentier.

Carmat, the biomedical company working with Dr. Carpentier, says its
artificial heart will provide hope and improve quality of life for heart
patients.

"I have a coronary problem, but it is true that for people who
have serious cardiac deficiencies, this is no doubt the best solution, given
the problems of grafts and especially donor shortages," said heart
patient Michel Sarrazin.

The artificial heart has been successfully tested on animals and is now
in pre-clinical trials.