Jerusalem, 29 May, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israeli doctors successfully performed the country’s first complete artificial heart transplant, the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem announced on Thursday. The procedure, which replaced a 63-year-old patient’s failing heart with a fully artificial one, marks a milestone in Israel’s medical history and brings new hope to patients waiting for heart transplants.
“This is a very large event in the State of Israel, which has not happened before,” said Prof. Ofer Amir, senior cardiologist and director of the Cardiology Department at Hadassah. “Many preparations were required with the patient’s health insurance fund and the Ministry of Health, with the full support of Hadassah management. Once we secured funding from Clalit Health Services, we began the intensive preparations necessary for this complex procedure.”
The complex seven-hour surgery was conducted by a large multidisciplinary team including cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, anesthesiologists, intensive care specialists, and heart-lung machine technicians. The patient’s diseased heart was entirely removed and replaced with a state-of-the-art artificial organ constructed from titanium, biological animal tissue, and embedded sensors designed to mimic a real heart’s function.
The patient, a resident of central Israel, had suffered for years from severe heart failure and could no longer wait for a suitable heart donor. According to the medical team, he faced imminent life-threatening deterioration.
“Until now, Israeli patients in such critical condition could only receive left ventricular assist devices, which support part of the heart but leave the rest in place,” explained Dr. Amit Korach, who directed the surgery in Hadassah’s Department of Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery. “But for patients whose entire heart has failed, this complete artificial heart is a historic, life-saving solution. Our patient is now the only person in Israel living entirely without a biological heart.”
The artificial heart used in the operation was developed by the French company CARMAT and is represented in Israel by the Tzamal Medical Group. Before the surgery, Hadassah’s medical team traveled to France to train with CARMAT’s experts. Upon returning, they trained additional staff members to ensure the procedure could be conducted safely in Israel.
At the height of the operation, two operating rooms were used simultaneously. In one, the surgical team prepared the artificial heart by integrating artificial valves. In the second, the patient’s natural heart was removed, and his body was sustained by a heart-lung machine. The artificial heart was then carefully implanted and connected to the body’s major blood vessels. Once implanted, the team gradually transferred responsibility for circulation from the heart-lung machine to the new device.
“I felt like I was in the future,” said Dr. Alexander Lipay-Diamant, Director of Hadassah’s Adult Open Heart Surgery Unit, who co-led the operation. “The moment I saw the artificial heart fully functioning inside the patient’s chest, I stood in awe of what this could mean for patients who would otherwise not survive. This is the future, and it can save lives.”
The operation is only the 115th of its kind worldwide. Early signs indicate the transplant was successful, with the patient’s new artificial heart functioning properly and his condition steadily improving.
“This heart buys the patient at least two good years of life while he awaits a biological transplant,” said Dr. Korach. “And perhaps, in the future, even more.”
Prof. Amir praised the team’s effort and precision. “We can look back with pride at a carefully planned operation performed by a large team that worked in precise harmony. Thanks to their dedication, a patient who lived in constant suffering now has the gift of a new life.”
The artificial heart, which costs approximately NIS 1.6 million ($450,000), was fully funded by Clalit Health Services.
