An Australian man in his 40s was saved by a metal heart after ending up on the waiting list to receive a donor heart. He lived for over 100 days on the device, becoming the first ever human to survive for so long on an artificial heart.
The BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart (TAH) can pump blood at a high rate of 12 liters per minute.
Designed by Australian biomedical engineer Dr. Daniel Timms, the BiVACOR TAH utilizes magnetic levitation technology, similar to that used in high-speed trains, to replicate the natural blood flow of a healthy heart.The titanium heart is both durable and biocompatible. Weighing only 650 grams, it is a compact device and therefore, fit to be implanted in both men and women.
Traditional mechanical heart devices often support only the left side of the heart, making them inefficient in cases of severe biventricular heart failure. The BiVACOR TAH overcomes the inefficiency by completely replacing the function of both heart ventricles.
The device is proficient in pumping blood, delivering flows over 12 liters per minute. This is enough cardiac output for an adult male during exercise. In comparison, at rest, an adult human heart typically pumps around 5 liters of blood per minute.
The TAH also takes care of patients’ mobility and freedom of movement. As it is powered by an external controller and battery system, patients can manage their daily activities without being tethered to switch boards.
As for the design, it is minimalistic. A single moving part—a magnetically suspended rotor—that propels blood to both the pulmonary and systemic circulations, effectively replaces the function of a human heart.
There are no valves or flexing ventricle chambers to aggravate mechanical wear, reducing the risk of blood trauma. This potentially increases the device’s durability and reliability.