Man Survives 100 Days with Artificial Titanium Heart in Groundbreaking Medical Trial
The patient, a man in his 40s who has chosen to remain anonymous, received the BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart (TAH) in November at St. Vincent's Hospital Sydney. In February, he became the first person to be discharged from the hospital while relying on the device. Earlier this month, he successfully underwent a donor heart transplant and is now recovering well, according to a joint statement from St Vincent's Hospital, Monash University, and BiVACOR, the company behind the artificial heart.
The BiVACOR TAH is designed to replace both ventricles of a failing heart. It features a single moving part—a magnetically levitated rotor—constructed from titanium, eliminating the need for mechanical bearings or valves that could wear out over time.
Australian bioengineer Daniel Timms, who founded BiVACOR after losing his father to heart disease, called the achievement a major step forward in heart failure treatment. "This milestone represents decades of hard work, and we are deeply grateful to the patient and his family for trusting our technology," Timms said.
Professor Chris Hayward of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, who has been overseeing the patient's recovery, said the success of the device could transform the future of heart transplants. "Within the next decade, artificial hearts may become a viable alternative for patients who are unable to receive donor hearts in time," Hayward stated.
The BiVACOR device has been undergoing trials in the United States as part of the FDA's Early Feasibility Study. Five patients have been implanted with the device so far, including a 58-year-old man in Texas last year, who survived for eight days before receiving a donor heart. Researchers hope the study will expand to 15 patients.
The Australian trial is part of Monash University's Artificial Heart Frontiers Program, a AU$50 million ($31 million) initiative aimed at advancing artificial heart technology.
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, with around 18 million fatalities annually, according to the World Health Organization. Experts believe that artificial hearts like the BiVACOR TAH could help address the shortage of donor hearts and improve survival rates for patients with end-stage heart failure.
Medical researchers say further trials will be needed before the BiVACOR heart can be considered for widespread use, but this latest development marks a promising step forward in the field of cardiac care.
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