Heart transplants save thousands of lives a year. Imagine how many more lives could be saved if there was a bridge measure to keep people alive as they wait for a new heart. Now, in a world first, a total artificial heart (TAH) made of titanium was successfully transplanted at the Texas Heart Institute on July 9, 2024, reported IFLScience.
The heart from BiVACOR, is a new type of TAH that was designed in Australia and approved in an early feasibility study in the US. This medical advance can be a major lifesaver as heart failure affects 6.7 million people annually in the US, but only 3,817 heart transplants were performed in 2021.
“The Texas Heart Institute is enthused about the groundbreaking first implantation of BiVACOR’s TAH. With heart failure remaining a leading cause of mortality globally, the BiVACOR TAH offers a beacon of hope for countless patients awaiting a heart transplant,” Dr. Joseph Rogers, president and CEO of The Texas Heart Institute said in a press release from the institute.
About the BiVACOR artificial heart
The new artificial heart was designed to be able to be used by both women and men despite its small size, according to the press release. But it is powerful enough to support a full-sized adult man during physical exercise. The TAH has a controller and battery that the patient has to carry with them.
This is a total redesign of artificial hearts which were first approved by the FDA in 2004 and implanted into more than 1,400 patients, according to IFL Science. But 12 percent of the patients were reported to have had strokes, and 14 percent had thrombotic issues (blood clots). The BiVACOR was developed to remove this risk
The titanium heart has two ventricles, just like a human heart . One circulates blood to the lungs while the second sends blood to the rest of the body. But the TAH doesn’t beat, it actually spins. That’s because the blood flowing through the titanium heart is pushed by a rotating impeller that uses magnetic levitation or MAGLEV. This is the same technology that is used in high-speed trains but using MAGLEV reduces the blood trauma and the risks of strokes and blood clots.
The first human trial
The first human trial of the titanium heart is considered a success with the patient living with the device for eight days before receiving a human heart. A second trial will take place in Australia. The heart is designed to be used for much longer periods of time and was previously tested on animals. The device has also been running error free for four years on a bench top.
Daniel Timms, PhD, founder and CTO of BiVACOR said in the press release: “I’m incredibly proud to witness the successful first-in-human implant of our TAH. This achievement would not have been possible without the courage of our first patient and their family, the dedication of our team, and our expert collaborators at The Texas Heart Institute.
“Utilizing advanced MAGLEV technology, our TAH brings us one step closer to providing a desperately needed option for people with end-stage heart failure who require support while waiting for a heart transplant. I look forward to continuing the next phase of our clinical trial.”
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