An Australian man survived for 100 days with an artificial titanium heart while waiting for a donor transplant, marking the longest period anyone has lived with this technology.
The patient, a man in his 40s who chose to remain anonymous, underwent surgery at St. Vincent’s Hospital Sydney last November to receive the implant. In February, he became the first person in the world to be discharged from the hospital with the device, which kept him alive until a suitable donor heart became available earlier this month.
According to a statement released on Wednesday by St Vincent’s Hospital, Monash University, and BiVACOR, the US-Australian company that developed the device, the man was “recovering well” after the transplant.
The fact that the artificial heart sustained him for such a long period is being hailed as a breakthrough, demonstrating the device’s potential as a long-term solution for heart failure patients. However, the technology remains in the trial phase and has not yet been approved for widespread clinical use.
Australian bioengineer Daniel Timms, the founder of BiVACOR, invented the device following his father’s death from heart disease. He described the development as “exhilarating to see decades of work come to fruition.”
“The entire BiVACOR team is deeply grateful to the patient and his family for placing their trust in our Total Artificial Heart,” Timms said in the statement. “Their bravery will pave the way for countless more patients to receive this lifesaving technology.”
How the Artificial Heart Works
The BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart (TAH) operates using a single moving component—a levitated rotor that is suspended by magnets. Made of titanium, the device lacks valves or mechanical bearings, which are often prone to wear and tear.
This artificial heart functions by pumping blood to both the body and the lungs, effectively replacing both ventricles of a failing heart.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, claiming approximately 18 million lives annually, according to the World Health Organization. The long-term goal for the BiVACOR heart is to provide a lifeline for patients stuck on waiting lists for donor hearts.
In 2024 alone, around 3,500 people in the U.S. received heart transplants, while approximately 4,400 new patients joined the transplant waiting list, according to the U.S. Health Department.
Professor Chris Hayward of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute stated that the BiVACOR artificial heart represents a major advancement in heart transplantation.
“Within the next decade we will see the artificial heart becoming the alternative for patients who are unable to wait for a donor heart or when a donor heart is simply not available,” said Hayward, who is overseeing the Australian patient’s recovery and played a role in preparing the device for clinical trials.
Early Clinical Trials and Future Prospects
The BiVACOR heart has already been tested in the U.S. under the Food and Drug Administration’s Early Feasibility Study. In this trial, five patients successfully received the implant while awaiting donor transplants.
The first recipient of the device was a 58-year-old man with end-stage heart failure, who underwent surgery at Texas Medical Center last July. The artificial heart sustained him for eight days before he received a donor transplant.
Four more patients were subsequently implanted with the device as part of the study, which aimed to assess its safety and effectiveness in keeping patients alive while waiting for donor hearts. The trial is expected to expand to include 15 patients.
The recent Australian case is part of a broader effort led by Monash University’s Artificial Heart Frontiers Program. This initiative, which has been allocated 50 million Australian dollars ($31 million), is focused on developing and commercializing three innovative heart failure treatment devices.