New medical milestone: Man survives more than 100 days with a completely artificial heart
An Australian patient has become the first to be discharged between the implant and transplant processes.
Barcelona"An absolute clinical success." An Australian man with heart failure has become the first person in the world to leave the hospital after receiving a fully artificial heart implant. Specifically, the 40-year-old patient received the device on November 22, 2024, at St. Vincent's Hospital in Sydney. Months later, in February of this year, he was discharged from the hospital while awaiting a heart donor for the definitive transplant, which finally arrived this March.
The patient, who did not want to reveal his identity, was the sixth person worldwide to receive a fully artificial heart. The five previous recipients were Americans, and in none of them had to live with the implant for such a long time: in fact, until now, the maximum time between an artificial implant and a heart transplant was 27 days. During this short period, patients did not have time to be discharged from the hospital. However, this case lasted longer than the previous ones, and the implant responded correctly.
The feat was made possible thanks to the BiVACOR total artificial heart, the first implantable rotary blood pump that can completely replace the heart. To do so, it uses magnetic levitation technology that replicates the natural blood flow of a healthy heart. However, this implant is still in the early stages of clinical trials and is designed for patients with end-stage biventricular heart failure, which typically occurs after other heart conditions—such as a heart attack—have weakened the ability to pump blood.
A revolutionary advance
For now, the implant is designed to serve as a bridge until a donor heart transplant is available. For some people, this time can be crucial to staying alive until a permanent heart arrives. However, BiVACor's long-term goal is for recipients to be able to live their entire lives with the artificial heart, without needing a subsequent transplant. According to the Australian government, more than 23 million people worldwide suffer from heart failure each year, but only 6,000 ultimately receive a transplant.
"In the next decade, we will see artificial hearts become an alternative for patients who cannot wait for a donor or when one is simply not available," said Chris Hayward, the cardiologist in charge of supervising the Australian patient. He also affirmed that a heart like BiVACOR's will transform established treatment for heart failure internationally. Meanwhile, Paul Jansz, the surgeon in charge of the operation, celebrated the success of the procedure: "We are extremely proud."