In the USA, there have been already four other heart transplants; however, this case represents the longest waiting period for a donor heart for the patient. This operation was part of the program "Pioneers of Artificial Hearts" in the hospital, where new devices are being developed and tested, such as pumps, and the total artificial heart BiVACOR, which was implanted in the patient.
The patient, a male who declined to disclose his identity, was sufficiently healthy for discharge from the hospital at the beginning of February with a titanium artificial heart, while the donor heart he received on March 6. The first heart transplant operation with a mechanical heart was performed at the Texas Heart Institute in the Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center in July of last year.
"Over the course of the decade, we see how artificial hearts will become the best alternative for patients who cannot wait for a donor heart or when a donor heart is not available," added the representative.
The titanium device contains a small external controller with the ability to recharge batteries, and, according to the manufacturer BiVACOR, it "is designed for long-term use, capable of completely replacing the function of the patient's original heart."
"The long-term goal is for recipients of heart transplants to be able to live with their devices," the statement says. Currently, the patient "is recovering well," according to the University of Monash. Professor Chris Hayward, a cardiologist at the St. Vincent's hospital, believes that the success of this operation "paves the way for a completely new era in the field of heart transplants."
An Australian with heart failure has set a record, surviving 105 days with a mechanical heart, while waiting for a donor organ. This man became the first person in the world to be discharged from the hospital with a titanium device, living a month at home, prior to receiving the donor heart. The transplant operation was performed on November 22, 2024, at St. Vincent's hospital in Sydney, and lasted six hours - this is what was reported by the University of Monash.
