Italian doctors implant permanent artificial heart

Rome: For the first time in the world, doctors in Italy have implanted a permanent artificial heart into a 15-year-old boy, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.

Heart surgeons at Rome's Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital carried out the 10-hour breakthrough operation Thursday, implanting an artificial heart to be used on a permanent basis rather than a more common temporary artificial heart.

Usually temporary artificial hearts are used for patients awaiting a suitable human transplant, but the boy suffered from an illness that made a long wait impossible.