Definition of Berlin Heart

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Berlin Heart: The name of a company in Berlin, Germany and of a ventricular assist device it makes. The device works by helping the right ventricle of the heart to pump blood to the lungs and the left ventricle to pump blood to the body. The Berlin Heart comes in various sizes for a range of patients, including newborn babies. The bulk of the device is extracorporeal (outside the body). Only the tubes are implanted. They emerge from small openings to enter the pump, a small round chamber. The system is run by a laptop computer. The Berlin Heart is intended to be used as a bridge to recovery or as a bridge to a transplant.