In a first for Europe, a fully artificial heart has been successfully implanted into a patient in Naples, Italy. The bioprosthetic heart, developed by French company Carmat, has already been implanted into patients in clinical trial settings in the US but this operation marks the first commercial sale and use of the product.

In December 2020, Carmat received approval from the EU to sell the device as a bridge to a heart transplant for patients suffering from end-stage heart failure. The device is made from a combination of biological and synthetic materials and was first developed in 2008.