Heart transplant breakthrough as human receives titanium heart for first time
A 58-year-old man became the first recipient of the BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart, a titanium device, during a study to assist patients awaiting heart transplants, marking a medical milestone.
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A 58-year-old man has become the first human to receive a titanium heart, specifically the BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart (TAH), marking a significant milestone in medical history. The implantation, performed by the Texas Heart Institute on July 9, 2024, was part of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Early Feasibility Study aimed at evaluating the device as a bridge-to-heart-transplant solution for patients with severe heart conditions. The TAH utilizes magnetic levitation technology, similar to that used in high-speed trains, and is designed to minimize mechanical wear and blood trauma. Following the nearly six-hour surgery, the patient was able to sit up and walk shortly after the procedure. Just eight days post-implantation, a donor heart became available, and the patient successfully underwent a transplant, removing the BiVACOR device. The TAH is engineered to provide up to 12 liters of blood flow per minute, comparable to a healthy human heart. The Texas Heart Institute expressed optimism about the potential of the BiVACOR TAH to offer hope to patients awaiting heart transplants, with plans to enroll four additional patients in the study. This breakthrough is seen as a significant advancement in heart failure therapy, addressing a critical need for patients with end-stage heart failure.
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