The Health Bureau (SSM) announced in a statement on Thursday that the first local artificial heart implant surgery was successfully completed through a collaboration arrangement between the cardiothoracic (CT) surgery teams of the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre and the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, which marked a new breakthrough in cardiac surgery in Macau, and was also the first local application of a fully magnetically levitated artificial heart* independently developed in the mainland.
The statement noted that a 68-year-old local female patient with end-stage heart failure**, presented complex conditions and high surgical difficulty.
According to the statement, prior to the surgery, the medical teams from both hospitals conducted multidisciplinary joint consultations, comprehensively assessed her condition. The operation was conducted under general anaesthesia and with the assistance of a cardiopulmonary bypass, the statement said, adding that the patient underwent left ventricular drilling to implant the fully magnetically levitated artificial heart, and the power cable was connected to an external device.
Once activated, the artificial heart used magnetic levitation drive technology to pump blood into the ascending aorta***, creating a parallel circulatory state with the patient’s own heart. Following the surgery, the patient recovered well, with symptoms of heart failure resolved and physical activity capacity returning to normal. Due to the device’s compact and lightweight design, it has minimal impact on daily life, the statement said.
The statement pointed out that the surgery used a fully magnetically levitated artificial heart, which was independently developed in the mainland, featuring characteristics such as low haemolysis**** and high durability, with its technical performance reaching international standards. According to the statement, it also effectively reduces blood damage and blood clot formation, thereby improving the patient’s survival rate and quality of life.
The statement pointed out that while end-stage heart failure patients previously had to rely solely on heart transplants as a treatment, the implantation of left ventricular assist devices (artificial hearts) has now become the most effective treatment option aside from transplantation, and this method is suitable for end-stage heart failure patients who have not responded to drug therapy and have been evaluated by a multidisciplinary team as eligible for the implant surgery. It can effectively improve heart failure symptoms and extend life expectancy.
* A Fully Magnetically Levitated Artificial Heart is an advanced mechanical device that uses magnetic levitation technology to replace or support the function of a failing human heart. A key feature is a frictionless rotor suspended entirely within a magnetic field, which helps reduce damage to blood cells and prevent clotting. - DeepSeek
**End-stage heart failure, also known as Stage D heart failure, is the most severe and advanced form of heart failure. It is characterised by significant and debilitating symptoms that persist even at rest, despite receiving maximum medical therapy. – DeepSeek
*** The ascending aorta is the first section of the aorta, carrying oxygen-rich blood from the heart’s left ventricle up toward the body. – Google AI
**** Haemolysis is the process by which red blood cells break down, leading to the release of hemoglobin into the surrounding fluid. – Poe
This undated and pixelated handout photo provided by the Health Bureau(SSM) on Thursday shows the 68-year-old local female patient (centre) , the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre’s Dr Fan Sai Hou (left) and the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University’s Dr Zhang Xiaoshen posing for a photo.
