Heart Transplant Innovations

Each year, UAB implants a number of mechanical circulatory support devices as a short-term fix for patients awaiting heart transplants. These revolutionary devices take over the natural pumping function of a diseased heart that can no longer effectively circulate blood on its own.

In 2005, UAB was one of the first transplant centers in the nation to implant the Berlin Heart – a mechanical circulatory support device named for its place of invention. The device successfully extended the life of a 17-month-old child for six weeks until a heart became available for transplant. With this groundbreaking achievement, UAB further established its standing among the best and most advanced transplant centers in the United States.