Chinese doctors implant world's smallest, lightest artificial heart into boy

"Children should not be simply perceived as adults with a shrinking size and they need artificial hearts that are tailored to them," said Dong. He added that the key lies in understanding the unique anatomical and physiological traits of children.

Dong said that the newly devised heart pump features low energy consumption, prolonged battery life, stability for facilitating emergency patient transfers, precise speed control, and adaptable settings to accommodate circulatory condition.

The operation took about five hours. The boy began breathing on his own on the second day after the surgery and was transferred into an isolated ward for rehabilitation three days later.

The seven-year-old boy is the second child to receive the device at the hospital. The first patient, aged 10, underwent an implantation in late 2024 and is now in stable condition.