Permanent artificial heart implanted in Israel for first time

An artificial heart has been permanently implanted in a patient in Israel for the first time.

Up until now, artificial hearts have been used in Israel to help a damaged heart continue to pump until a donor organ could be located.

The operation on a 63-year-old cardiac patient, who was also in organ failure, occurred over the weekend at the Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus in Petah Tikvah, the Jerusalem Post reported.

Mechanical heart transplant expert Dr. Jack Copeland, of the University of California at San Diego came to Israel to help with the transplant, the newspaper reported.

The hospital is still searching for a human heart for the patient.