Chinese doctors implant world's smallest artificial heart in 7-year-old boy

A 7-year-old boy in China has become the youngest recipient of a magnetically levitated biventricular assist device — the smallest and lightest artificial heart available — marking a significant medical breakthrough.

Doctors at Union Hospital, affiliated with Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, performed the pioneering surgery earlier this month. The operation, hailed as a potential game-changer in pediatric heart care, involved implanting a newly developed artificial heart weighing just 45 grams and measuring 2.9 cm in diameter.

The child, referred to as Junjun, was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy in May 2024 and later suffered from severe cardiogenic shock. With a suitable donor heart unavailable due to his O blood type, doctors opted to use the domestically developed artificial heart.

Led by cardiac surgeon Dong Nianguo, the medical team carried out a five-hour procedure. Junjun was able to breathe independently the day after surgery, and his cardiac function continues to improve, according to hospital staff.

"Thanks to the doctors, our child now has a chance to survive and wait for a transplant," Junjun's father said. "Once his inflammation subsides, we hope to go home."

Pediatric heart failure remains a serious medical challenge worldwide. In China alone, around 40,000 children are hospitalised with severe heart failure each year, with 7 to 10 percent requiring urgent transplants. Yet, due to a severe shortage of donor hearts, fewer than 100 pediatric heart transplants are carried out annually.

While ventricular assist devices offer temporary support, most current models are either unsuitable for children or risk damaging the blood system. "Children aren't just smaller versions of adults — they need devices tailored specifically to them," said surgeon Dong.

To address this need, Union Hospital partnered with Shenzhen Core Medical Technology Co., Ltd in 2021 to develop a third-generation, magnetically levitated artificial heart. This new device features low power consumption, longer battery life, improved stability for emergency transport, and real-time control over pump speed to meet the patient's changing circulatory demands.

"China is making impressive strides in treating end-stage heart disease, evolving from a follower to a frontrunner in certain areas," said hospital president Xia Jiahong.