What if a Space Shuttle turbopump could be shrunken down small enough to fit into the heart of a child awaiting a transplant? A team led by NASA and famous heart surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey has done just that. Earlier this year, the tiny heart pump became the first to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in kids age 5 through 16. It was recently implanted for the first time in a child. It weighs only four ounces and is about the size of a small pink beveled eraser. Its only moving part is a rotating impeller that moves blood in a steady flow. The team worked for two decades to develop the device and eliminate common heart pump problems, such as blood clotting. Although the pump has been tested around the world since 1996, it began U.S. trials in 2000. Patients have lived with the pump for as long as two years. Sometimes, it can even help weakened hearts repair themselves. The device is a perfect blend of NASA engineering and medicine, but for some children, it may be a lifeline.
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NASA ID
ksc_040704_heartpump
Date Created
April 8, 2004
Center
KSC
Media Type
video
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NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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