An Australian man became the first ever person in the world to make it past 100 days alive with an artificial titanium heart. The man in his 40s from New South Wales had the groundbreaking BiVACOR device implanted into him after going through severe heart failure.
The six-hour operation, conducted in November at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital, was conducted by cardiothoracic and transplant surgeon Paul Jansz. “We’ve worked years towards this moment and we’re incredibly proud to have been the first team in Australia to perform this procedure,” Jansz said.
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Successful Heart Transplant Following Artificial Heart Support after surviving more than three months with the artificial heart without serious complications, the patient received a successful donor heart transplant earlier this month. Physicians and scientists described the surgery as an “unmitigated clinical success.”
How BiVACOR Works BiVACOR, a complete heart replacement device, was developed by Queensland-born Dr. Daniel Timms. It acts as a bridge for patients waiting for a donor heart, providing blood circulation via a magnetically suspended rotor. The rotor pumps blood continuously, replicating the natural heart’s action.
The pacemaker is linked with an under-the-skin cord to an external battery-powered portable controller at night and battery-powered during the day. Titanium-made, it is highly biocompatible, corrosion-resistant, and durable. Unlike traditional artificial hearts with multiple moving parts that can fail, BiVACOR has only a single moving part, making the mechanical wear and tear decrease significantly.
Future of Artificial Heart TechnologyBiVACOR is at present employed as a temporary lifesaver. Nevertheless, certain cardiologists are convinced that it might one day become a permanent option for patients who cannot qualify for transplants on the basis of age or health. Although the concept is still in the trial stage, experts are still considering its long-term feasibility.
While its success is undeniably tremendous, however, the lifespan of an artificial heart still cannot compare with that of a donor heart, which can be used for more than 10 years (or 3,000 days). Nonetheless, the case represents a giant leap forward for the future of cardiac therapy and transplant options.
