Maglev Heart Made of Titanium Now Operating in a Living Patient

For the first time, BiVACOR’s fully mechanical heart, which employs technology similar to high-speed rail systems, has been successfully implanted in a human. This advancement represents a significant milestone in prolonging lives while patients await heart transplants.

Details of the Total Artificial Heart (TAH)

The total artificial heart (TAH) was placed as part of an early feasibility study under the supervision of the US Food and Drug Administration According to the Texas Heart Institute, where the surgery took place, the heart “is a titanium-built biventricular rotary blood pump with a single moving component, featuring a magnetically levitated rotor that circulates blood and replaces both ventricles of a failing heart.”

Since 2013, BiVACOR has been developing this device. The key benefit of the magnetically levitated rotor is the elimination of friction, a major cause of wear and tear in machinery.

While artificial hearts are not new – the first successful implant occurred in 1969 – this device is unique for its application of maglev technology.

Features and Benefits of the TAH

The TAH, approximately the size of a fist, uses a small external rechargeable controller to maintain operation and can pump blood at a rate of 12 liters per minute, sufficient to support physical activity in an adult male.

Unlike other artificial hearts that rely on flexible polymer diaphragms, which can degrade over time, BiVACOR’s heart has only one suspended part, potentially offering greater longevity.

Despite its advancements, the titanium heart is a temporary solution for patients awaiting transplants.

Statements from BiVACOR’s Founder

Daniel Timms, founder and CTO of BiVACOR, expressed gratitude for the support from the first patient and their family, the dedicated team, and collaborators at The Texas Heart Institute.

With advanced technology, our TAH brings us closer to offering a vital option for those with end-stage heart failure awaiting transplants. We look forward to advancing to the next phase of our clinical trial.

The next step involves implanting the titanium heart in two additional patients for close monitoring until they can receive permanent transplants.

Heart failure affects at least 26 million people globally. The American Heart Association notes that the demand for heart transplants has doubled over the past 30 years, with over 3,400 individuals currently awaiting transplants. If BiVACOR’s titanium heart succeeds in clinical trials, it could greatly aid in sustaining these patients and many others until a suitable donor heart becomes available.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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