First man discharged from hospital with completely artificial heart

(CLO) A man in his 40s in New South Wales, Australia has become the first person in the world to leave hospital with a completely artificial heart.

The BiVACOR artificial heart implant surgery was performed on November 22 last year at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, lasting six hours under the direction of Dr Paul Jansz.

The patient was discharged from the hospital with the implant in February of this year. After more than 100 days of living with the BiVACOR device, he received a donor heart in early March.

This is the first transplant under a Monash University-led research program to develop devices to assist with heart failure.

The BiVACOR artificial heart is the world's first implantable rotating blood pump that can completely replace the human heart. Photo: Claire Usmar/BiVACOR

BiVACOR, invented by Dr. Daniel Timms, is the first rotating blood pump that can completely replace the human heart, using magnetic levitation technology to simulate natural blood flow.

The device is currently in early clinical trials for patients with end-stage biventricular heart failure – a condition that often results from conditions such as myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease or diabetes.

Five previous BiVACOR transplants were performed in the US last year. All patients were on artificial hearts before receiving a donor heart and being discharged from the hospital, with the longest being 27 days. This Australian case marks a significant step forward as the patient was able to leave the hospital and live with the artificial heart for more than 100 days.

Professor Chris Hayward, a cardiologist at St Vincent’s Hospital, said BiVACOR could transform the way heart failure is treated globally. He said that within the next decade, artificial hearts could become an alternative for people who cannot wait for a donor heart.

However, Professor David Colquhoun from the University of Queensland warned that the lifespan of an artificial heart - more than 100 days - was still not comparable to a donated heart, which can last more than 10 years.

The Australian Government has invested $50 million in the Artificial Heart Frontiers program to develop and commercialize BiVACOR. The long-term goal of the technology is to enable patients to live long-term with an artificial heart without needing a heart transplant.

Hoai Phuong (according to Guardian, SMH)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nguoi-dan-ong-dau-tien-xuat-vien-voi-trai-tim-nhan-tao-hoan-toan-post338182.html