British Grandpa gets world's first battery-powered heart pump

Barry Wade was left with advanced heart failure after a scuba diving accident eight years ago and doctors at Wythenshawe Hospital had already tried corrective surgery, but his condition continued to worsen.

Barry was considered too ill to undergo heart-transplant surgery and his future looked bleak. So he was offered a lifeline in the form of a revolutionary heart pump, called Heartmate 2, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

Unlike a pacemaker, which simply regulates the heart's beat, the Heartmate 2 circulates blood around the body.

Wythenshawe Hospital is one of only 12 centres to trial the device, which was developed in the US. They fitted the device on Wade Tuesday.

Wade is the world's first person to get a special miniaturised version, which is less intrusive and more sophisticated. The Titanium pump - which weighs just 12 ounces - rotates nine times faster than an electric drill.

The grandfather-of-five has responded so well to the procedure he is expected to return home to Chelford, near Macclesfield, soon.

"It's been a tough eight years but I hope all that is behind me now. I have a new chance of life and I am looking forward to the birth of my new grandson next month. I feel very privileged to have been chosen to pioneer this remarkable device." He said.

"The refined features of the Heartmate2 include computer technology which will allow Barry to read out power consumption and blood flow if he is feeling unwell to alert doctors," Dr Steve Shaw, consultant cardiologist at Wythenshawe Hospital, said.

"There is also a built-in back-up battery in case he accidentally disconnects the power," Shaw said.