Virginia Commonwealth University’s Pauley Heart Center has performed an implantation of the CardioWest temporary Total Artificial Heart, or TAH-t, a modern version of the Jarvik-7 Artificial Heart, the one that made headlines in the 1980s. One of only three hospitals in the nation certified to perform such a procedure, VCU’s center is reporting succcess with “the only total artificial heart approved by the FDA, Health Canada and Communité Europeenne.”
Syncardia Systems, Inc., a Tucson, Ariz. company responsible for this device, describes it:
The CardioWest™ TAH-t completely replaces the patient’s diseased heart and immediately restores normal blood pressure and cardiac output, facilitating recovery of end-organ function, such as the kidney and liver. As a result, patients become better candidates for transplantation…
The CardioWest™ TAH-t is a pneumatic, biventricular, implantable bridge-to-transplant system for full cardiac replacement, taking the place of the failing heart in patients at imminent risk of death. The device offers full circulatory support, the shortest blood path and exposure to artificial surfaces, and the highest level of cardiac output when compared with other artificial heart systems previously tested.
According to VCU’s press release, the system is capable of delivering as much as 9.5 liters/minute of cardiac output!
More at Syncardia Systems…
The press release from Virginia Commonwealth University…