The first permanent artificial heart was implanted on 2 December 1982 by William C De Vries at the University of Utah. The artificial heart was the Jarvik 7 and the patient, Barney Clark, who was suffering from a congestive cardiomyopathy, survived 112 days. The New York Times carried the front page article “Dentist close to death receives first permanent artificial heart”. This illustrated cover from the New York Times Philatelic History of the United States commemorates the event. The cancellation mark is Salt Lake City, Utah and the date is 2 December 1992 – exactly a decade after the surgical milestone. The cover uses the 20 cent Health Research stamp, which was issued 17 May 1984 and the picture illustrated on the cover is that of Barney Clark.
The case was written up in the New England Journal of Medicine.1
References
- 1.DeVries W C, Anderson J L, Joyce L D.et al Clinical use of the total artificial heart. N Engl J Med 1984310273–278. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]