A Michigan 25 year old has finally received a heart transplant after a radical artificial heart in a backpack kept him alive for a record-breaking 17 months.
The first patient in Michigan ever discharged with a SynCardia temporary total artificial heart in 2014, Stan Larkin was back at the University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Center last month for a heart transplant.
His brother also relied on the device to keep him alive - but received his transplant sooner.
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Stan Larkin, a Michigan 25 year old has finally received a heart transplant after a radical artificial heart in a backpack kept him alive for a record-breaking 17 months.
AMERICA'S HEART CRISIS
In the US alone, there are over 121,000 people on the organ transplant waiting list, and an average of 22 people die every day due to lack of available transplant organs.
Of the 5.7 million Americans living with heart failure, about 10 percent have advanced heart failure, according to the American Heart Association.
'It was an emotional rollercoaster,' Larkin, 25, said at a news conference when he described living with the total artificial heart that was implanted to keep him alive until a donor heart became available.
'I got the transplant two weeks ago and I feel like I could take a jog as we speak.
'I want to thank the donor who gave themselves for me.
' I'd like to meet their family one day. Hopefully they'd want to meet me.'
