Pioneer interview with Victor Poirier: Edward Teller's contribution to the development of artificial heart technology

Q: Mr. Poirier, Dr. Edward Teller is a household name in nuclear physics. What is he primarily known for?

A: Dr. Edward Teller was a Hungarian-American nuclear physicist who was instrumental in the production of the first atomic bomb and the world's first thermonuclear weapon, the hydrogen bomb. He is also known for his extraordinary contributions to nuclear and molecular physics (Figures 1 and 2).

Q: How did you end up working with Dr. Teller?

A: I first met Dr. Teller in a Thermo Electron Corp. Board meeting. At that time, I was focused on developing nuclear-fueled power sources for deep space probes. I was very impressed with his knowledge and considered it a privilege to being able to speak with him.

Q: Can you tell us a few words about the Thermo Electon Corp?

A: Thermo Electron was formed in 1956 as a spin off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The initial work of this newly formed company was to develop technology to convert heat directly to electricity. This concept required a heat source which could increase a metallic member to a sufficient temperature to boil off electrons. These electrons could be collected on a lower-temperature metallic plate. There was a great deal of excitement in this technology as it could be used to form electrical power sources for deep space probes. These probes would be used to study our universe. Prior to this, probes were limited as they could not use solar energy far from the sun.

Q: What was Dr. Teller's involvement in this, and how did he get involved in developing artificial heart technology?

A: Dr. Teller was brought in to establish potential heat sources that could utilize nuclear energy. I joined Thermo Electron in 1961 to work on the development of these nuclear-powered electrical systems. A key event that occurred was the receipt of a Request for Proposal (RFP) from the NHLBI, a proposal for the development of a mechanical heart, in 1966. We formed Thermedics Inc., as a subsidiary of Thermo Electron, to concentrate on the artificial heart work. I was the president and CEO of this new company. We essentially took the nuclear-fueled power source technology for deep space probes and applied it to artificial heart systems. Several meetings followed and I asked Dr. Teller to join my advisory panel of Thermedics Inc., which he did. The team consisted of Dr. Teller, Cardiac surgeons, Cardiologists, and Engineers. The team was successful in putting together a proposal to develop a nuclear-powered artificial heart capable of supporting the circulation in humans.

Q: What was Dr. Teller's specific contribution to this proposal?

A: Dr. Teller provided the information that we needed and was instrumental in recommending that a Plutonium 238 capsule be used.

Q: Why did he recommend Pu²³⁸, as opposed to some other radioisotope? After all, Pu²³⁸ is a breakdown product that is not available naturally, so it has to be produced in a nuclear reactor.

A: Dr. Teller was one of the few individuals who had a deep knowledge of various radioisotopes at that time. Leveraging this expertise, he recommended Pu²³⁸ for several reasons:

As a fuel, Pu²³⁸ is employed in a heat-resistant ceramic form to minimize the risk of vaporization during a fire. This ceramic configuration also possesses low solubility, low chemical reactivity, and a tendency to fracture into large, nonrespirable chunks if broken. These attributes play a crucial role in reducing potential health impacts in the event of accidents leading to the release of this fuel.

Furthermore, it exhibits a half-life of 87.7 years, a power density of 4 watts/cm³, and a melting point at 2150°C. Due to these features, a comparatively small amount of fuel would suffice for a patient's entire lifetime, and it would remain unaffected even in the scenario of cremation.

Q: How exactly would this energy power the actual artificial heart pump?

A: The heat generated by the fuel capsule through its radioactive decay was used to boil water to generate steam which ran a miniature steam engine. The rotary power that was produced by the engine was then used to drive a hydraulic pump to activate the blood pump.

Q: Was radiation from the decay process a concern?

A: Radiation shieldingwise, Pu²³⁸ was also very attractive because it is primarily an alpha decay system with exceptionally low gamma and neutron radiation.

Q: What was the eventual outcome of this proposal? Was the team concerned that the proposed energy source would be considered outrageous?

A: The system that we proposed was accepted by the NHLBI. We were not too surprised, given lack of other solutions for the energy supply.

Q: Did Dr. Teller stay involved in later developments of the artificial heart technology, such as ventricular assist devices?

A: Not directly. Dr. Teller liked to hike; however, he noticed that he was getting short of breath when hiking. He would implore jokingly that I develop a functional LVAD so that he can hike more.

Q: Something that you eventually did with the original HeartMate LVAD…

A: All the initial concepts of the HeartMate Technology were developed at Thermo Electron, until the formation of its subsidiary, Thermedics. The next spinout formed Thermo Cardiosystems Inc (TCI) out of Thermedics. I was the first President and CEO of TCI, which was acquired by Thoratec, a company that developed and manufactured proprietary medical devices for mechanical circulatory support for the treatment of heart-failure patients. In 2015, Thoratec was acquired by St. Jude Medical. In January 2017, St. Jude was acquired by Abbott Laboratories. The artificial heart technology was transferred through all these companies and remains with Abbott Laboratories today.

Q: Thank you for this information Mr. Poirier. It is very important to preserve it, so that future generations know that Dr. Teller was more than just the developer of nuclear weapons.

A: Dr. Teller's work was primarily associated with the development of bombs that kill people. In 1983, he concluded that “it is better to save people than to destroy them”. Thus, his interest in helping to develop a nuclear-powered artificial heart. It was a great honor and privilege to work with Dr. Teller in the development of artificial heart technology.