Artificial organ

This article is about engineered artificial organs. For the growth of organs in vitro, see Organ culture.

An artificial organ is a human made organ device or tissue that is implanted or integrated into a human — interfacing with living tissue — to replace a natural organ, to duplicate or augment a specific function or functions so the patient may return to a normal life as soon as possible.[1] The replaced function does not have to be related to life support, but it often is. For example, replacement bones and joints, such as those found in hip replacements, could also be considered artificial organs.[2][3]

Implied by definition, is that the device must not be continuously tethered to a stationary power supply or other stationary resources such as filters or chemical processing units. (Periodic rapid recharging of batteries, refilling of chemicals, and/or cleaning/replacing of filters would exclude a device from being called an artificial organ.)[4] Thus, a dialysis machine, while a very successful and critically important life support device that almost completely replaces the duties of a kidney, is not an artificial organ.

  1. ^ Catapano G, Verkerke GJ (2012). "Chapter 2: Artificial Organs". In Abu-Faraj ZO (ed.). Handbook of Research on Biomedical Engineering Education and Advanced Bioengineering Learning: Interdisciplinary Concepts - Volume 1. Hershey, PA: Medical Information Science Reference. pp. 60–95. ISBN 9781466601239. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  2. ^ Gebelein CG (1984). "Chapter 1: The Basics of Artificial Organs". In Gebelein CG (ed.). Polymeric Materials and Artificial Organs. ACS Symposium Series. Vol. 256. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society. pp. 1–11. doi:10.1021/bk-1984-0256.ch001. ISBN 9780841208544.
  3. ^ "Artificial Organs". Reference.MD. RES, Inc. 6 June 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  4. ^ Tang R (1998). "Artificial Organs". BIOS. 69 (3): 119–122. JSTOR 4608470.