William deVries

William deVries is an American cardiothoracic surgeon, who performed the first successful permanent artificial heart implant for Barney Clark, by using an artificial device designed by Robert Jarvik.

After about 90 people received the Jarvik device, the artificial hearts were banned for permanent use in patients with heart failure, because most of the patients could not live more than half a year with these devices. However, it is used temporarily for some heart transplantation candidates who can not find a natural heart immediately but urgently need an efficiently working heart.