An Australian man living in New South Wales has set a world record by living 100 days after an artificial heart transplant. This case not only opens up future prospects for artificial heart technologies but may also provide new opportunities for patients in need of heart transplants.
New technology – BiVACOR artificial heart
The patient, suffering from severe heart failure, agreed to an artificial heart implantation after traditional medical treatments failed to help him. This technology was implemented through the BiVACOR artificial heart, created by Australian scientist Daniel Timms.
BiVACOR is the world's first rotor pump-based artificial heart that operates on magnetic levitation, providing blood circulation similar to a natural heart. This device was developed to improve the patient's quality of life and serve as a temporary solution for those awaiting heart transplants.
The first five surgeries for artificial heart implantation were conducted in the US in 2024. After these surgeries, all patients received donor hearts, but the patient who lived the longest with the artificial heart survived for 27 days. The Australian patient, however, lived for more than three months (100 days) with the artificial heart, setting a new record.
The problem of heart failure in Australia
According to the Australian government, over 23 million people in the country suffer from heart failure, but only 6,000 of them have the opportunity to receive a donor heart.
Due to the shortage of donor hearts, the government allocated $50 million to develop artificial heart technologies. This could help save the lives of patients while waiting for a heart transplant.
Will artificial hearts completely replace transplants in the future?
Leading cardiologists in Australia have high hopes for artificial heart technologies. Professor Chris Hayward is confident that BiVACOR will bring about a fundamental change in treating heart failure:
“In the next decade, artificial hearts will be a real alternative for patients who cannot wait for a donor heart,” says Professor Hayward.
However, this technology still has limitations. Professor David Kolkhu emphasizes that artificial heart technologies are still far from fully replacing donor hearts:
“Currently, the BiVACOR artificial heart can only function for 100 days. In contrast, donor hearts serve patients for over 10 years (3000 days). Therefore, it is still too early to say that this technology will completely replace transplants,” he emphasizes.
Will artificial hearts save human lives in the future?
At present, the BiVACOR artificial heart is viewed as a temporary solution. However, in the future, manufacturers intend to turn it into a permanent artificial organ that completely replaces the heart. If this technology develops successfully, it could bring new hope to millions of patients suffering from heart failure.
Today's scientific and medical advancements indicate that we are taking significant steps towards creating such an opportunity. Therefore, the Australian patient's 100 days of living with an artificial heart is not only an important achievement in medicine but also a revolutionary event that could serve to save human lives in the future.
