Australian Man Becomes First to Leave Hospital with Titanium Artificial Heart, Survives 100 Days
An Australian man in his forties has become the first person in the world to be discharged from the hospital while living with an artificial heart made of titanium. The device serves as a temporary solution for individuals with heart failure who are awaiting a donor heart. Previously, recipients of this type of artificial heart had remained in U.S. hospitals for continuous monitoring while using the device.
The man lived with the BiVACOR artificial heart for over three months before undergoing surgery to receive a donor heart. His recovery has been progressing well, according to St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, where both procedures were performed. He is the sixth person globally to receive the device but the first to use it outside of a hospital setting for an extended period.
Medical experts have described this development as a significant advancement in cardiac care. Julian Smith, a cardiac surgeon at the Victorian Heart Institute at Monash University, called it an important step forward. Vascular surgeon Sarah Aitken from the University of Sydney noted that while the innovation is promising, questions remain about its functionality and cost, as well as the risks involved in such complex procedures.
The success of this case will provide researchers with valuable insights into how patients adapt to the device in everyday life without constant medical supervision. Joseph Rogers, a heart failure cardiologist and president of the Texas Heart Institute, highlighted that previous trials of the device were conducted exclusively in hospital settings.
BiVACOR is currently used as a bridge to heart transplantation, but some cardiologists believe it could eventually serve as a permanent replacement for patients who are ineligible for transplants due to age or other medical conditions. In the United States, nearly seven million adults suffer from heart failure, yet only about 4,500 heart transplants were performed in 2023 due to donor shortages.
Developed by biomedical engineer Daniel Timms, the BiVACOR artificial heart is a total heart replacement. It features a magnetically suspended rotor that propels blood throughout the body in steady pulses. Unlike traditional mechanical heart devices that require multiple moving parts and often experience failures, BiVACOR has only one moving component, potentially reducing mechanical wear. The device is connected to an external, portable controller via a cord under the skin, operating on batteries during the day and charging via a power source at night.
This breakthrough represents a major step toward the future of artificial heart technology and offers new hope for patients with end-stage heart failure.
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