Aymara women in Bolivia are known for their beautiful weaving techniques and now they are putting their talents to good use by weaving a small high-tech medical heart implant that can’t be massed produced.
The implant was created by Bolivian cardiologist Franz Freudenthal, which almost looks like a jellyfish—it travels through blood vessels and expands when it reaches the heart. The Aymara women weave the device using a single strand of nitinol, an elastic metal which can close a hole found in a patient’s heart. These women train for 4 months in a lab to create these delicate woven occluders, which work for the person’s entire life.
“I learned how to weave when I was a child,” said Julia Yapita Poma. “They teach us in the schools, and our mothers tell us we must learn how to weave. I never imagined I would work like this, saving people, saving kids. For me, it a blessing that fell upon me to work here. I feel proud.”
“We are very happy, we are doing something for someone so they can live,” explains Daniela Mendoza to AJ+. Dr. Freudenthal explains that Bolivia sits 13,000 feet above sea level, making it more difficult for those that have congenital heart issues. He has his practice in La Paz, Bolivia where with the help of these indigenous women he is able to provide this minimally invasive procedure. Culturally, some indigenous communities don’t believe in open-heart surgery because they believe it tarnishes the human soul. Which is why his work is not only culturally sensitive but is also helping improve their health.
Every month, 40 Aymar women create 250 to 300 devices, which screams volumes about the need for these types of devices in Latin America. To date, Dr. Freudenthal’s company, PFM SRL has sold over 7,000 implants to patients in not only Latin America, but the Middle East, and Europe. They hope to eventually donate one implant for each one sold some day. Check out the video below:
