Man survives 100 days with artificial titanium heart, setting new milestone

Editor's Note

An Australian man lived for 100 days with an artificial titanium heart, the longest duration recorded for a patient using the device, according to a March 12 report from CNN. The breakthrough marks a significant step toward using total artificial hearts as a long-term solution for patients with end-stage heart failure who face long waits for donor transplants.

The patient, a man in his 40s who has chosen to remain anonymous, received the BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart (TAH) at St. Vincent’s Hospital Sydney in November. In February, he became the first person to leave the hospital with the device, relying on it to sustain him until a donor heart became available earlier this month. The hospital reports that he is recovering well following his transplant.

The BiVACOR TAH replaces both ventricles of a failing heart, using a single moving part—a magnetically levitated rotor—to pump blood to the body and lungs. Unlike traditional artificial hearts, it has no valves or mechanical bearings, reducing the risk of wear and failure. The device remains in the trial phase and has not yet been approved for widespread use, but researchers see its success as a step toward broader applications for patients who cannot wait for donor hearts.

The BiVACOR heart has already been tested in the FDA’s Early Feasibility Study in the United States, where five patients received the device while awaiting transplants. The first recipient, a 58-year-old man at Texas Medical Center, survived eight days on the artificial heart before a donor was available. Four additional patients followed in the study, which aims to expand to 15 participants.

The Australian implantation is part of Monash University’s Artificial Heart Frontiers Program, a $31 million initiative aimed at developing and commercializing three artificial heart devices to treat heart failure. Researchers hope that continued success will move the BiVACOR heart closer to routine clinical use, providing lifesaving alternatives for patients with limited transplant options.