An Australian man has become the first person in the world to survive more than 100 days with a titanium artificial heart. The patient, a man in his 40s from New South Wales, suffered from severe heart failure and was fitted with the device called BiVACOR at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney last November. The six-hour surgery was performed by cardiothoracic and transplant surgeon Paul Jansz. He is the first person in Australia and only the sixth in the world to receive this advanced artificial heart.
Mr Jansz expressed his pride in the achievement, stating, “We have worked towards this moment for years and are honoured to be the first team in Australia to perform this procedure.” The patient successfully lived with the artificial heart without any major issues and later received a donor heart transplant earlier this month. Last week, Australian doctors and researchers confirmed that the procedure was an “outstanding clinical success.”
About BiVACOR
BiVACOR, invented by Queensland-born Dr. Daniel Timms, is an artificial heart designed to keep patients alive until a donor’s heart becomes available. Unlike traditional artificial hearts with multiple moving parts that can wear out, BiVACOR has just one moving part which is a magnetically suspended rotor that pumps blood in steady pulses. This design aims to reduce mechanical failures and improve reliability.
The device connects to an external, portable controller through a cord under the skin, running on batteries during the day and plugging into a power source at night. Titanium was chosen for its durability, corrosion resistance, and compatibility with the human body.
While BiVACOR is currently a temporary solution, some experts believe it could eventually serve as a long-term option for patients who aren’t eligible for transplants due to age or other health conditions. However, more trials are needed to confirm its long-term effectiveness. Despite its success, artificial hearts still have a much shorter lifespan compared to donor hearts, which can function for over 10 years.
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