Türkiye's first domestic heart-lung machine succeeds in surgery

Secretary of Turkish Defense Industries Haluk Görgün announced on social media that Türkiye's first domestically developed heart-lung machine has successfully assumed a patient's circulation and oxygenation during surgery, marking the first clinical use of the Aselsan LIFELINE HLM system. The device, developed through cooperation between the Health Ministry and Turkish defense firm Aselsan, enabled the medical team to complete the operation successfully, according to officials.

Görgün described the technology as "an engineering marvel," noting that the system had performed the function of a heart during the procedure for the first time. "For years, we procured this critical device from abroad. Being able to produce it now with our own capabilities is a valuable achievement for our technological independence," he said on X.

Defense expertise in health

The successful operation demonstrates how national engineering expertise built in the defense sector is now directly serving human health, Görgün stated, adding that authorities aim to expand the use of the device to different hospitals across the country. He emphasized that generating value in strategic civilian sectors through defense capabilities remains a priority for the secretariat.

"Generating value in strategic civilian sectors, particularly health, through our defense capabilities is among the priority goals of our Secretariat," Görgün said, thanking the Health Ministry, Aselsan, engineers, and physicians involved in the project and wishing the patient a speedy recovery. The device is expected to contribute to health technologies for many years.