Archive · 23 Jul 2025
Doctors Revive 'Dead' Heart to Save 3-Month-Old's Life
Doctors have found a new way to help babies and others get heart transplants.
They can now take a heart that has stopped working, use a special machine to bring it back to life, and then put it in someone who needs a new heart.
This has never been done before.
Doctors say this new method could mean more people can get heart transplants and could also be cheaper and easier.
Some people are worried about the ethics of the new method.
Doctors at Duke University revived a “dead” heart for transplant.
The new method, called “on-table reanimation,” restarts hearts outside the body.
A 3-month-old baby received the revived heart in a successful surgery.
The method may increase the number of available donor hearts by up to 30%.
Some question the ethics of reviving hearts from deceased donors.
- Who
- Doctors at Duke University and a 3-month-old baby.
- What
- Doctors revived a deceased heart and transplanted it into a baby.
- When
- Six months post-surgery, the baby's heart functions normally.
- Where
- Duke University, US
- Why
- To increase the number of available donor hearts and provide transplants.
Supporters
Critics
Ethical Concerns
Supporters
The ability to revive hearts is a major breakthrough in heart transplant procedures.
Critics
Questioning the ethics of the new method.
- Technique
- On-table reanimation
- Recipient
- 3-month-old baby
- Hospital
- Duke University
- Success
- Heart working normally six months later
- Potential increase in donors
- Up to 30%