The Jarvik 2000 Flowmaker is the subject of a clinical trial as a bridge to transplantation. It is an investigational device in the United States.
The Jarvik 2000 includes an implantable pump that is powered by an electric motor and small computer called the controller. The controller is powered by one battery at all times to regulate pump function and monitor the system.
The Jarvik 2000 Flowmaker is sometimes called a “booster pump.” Implanted inside the intact biological heart, it aids the left ventricle in ejecting blood. The flow produced by the Jarvik 2000 is synchronized with the heartbeat so that the blood moves in natural pulses.
*Information taken from jarvikheart.com
Illustration courtesy of Robert Jarvik, MD
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