Total artificial heart bridge to transplantation: a 9-year experience with 62 patients.

Background: The SynCardia CardioWest total artificial heart (CardioWest TAH) is a biventricular, orthotopic, pneumatic, pulsatile blood pump driven by an external console. For each ventricle, the length of the blood-flow path is shorter and the inflow and outflow valves are larger than in any other bridge-to-transplant device, resulting in greater blood flow at smaller pre-load. Such a device should be optimal for bridging transplant candidates who have biventricular failure and for whom all other therapies have failed.

The CardioWest total artificial heart as a bridge to transplantation.

The CardioWest total artificial heart (TAH), formerly known as the Jarvik-7 and then the Symbion heart, is the only TAH in current clinical use. A new study, approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), was initiated in 1993 with the goal of approving this pump for commercial release. Since then, 145 CardioWest TAHs have been implanted, including 37 pumps in 36 patients at our center.

Arizona experience with CardioWest Total Artificial Heart bridge to transplantation.

Background: We hypothesized that bridge to transplantation with the CardioWest Total Artificial Heart would succeed in a large percentage of patients. Further, we hypothesized that this success rate would not be significantly decreased by infection or thromboembolism.

Methods: From 1993 to March 1999, 24 patients received implants with the intention of bridge to transplantation.

CardioWest total artificial heart: a retrospective controlled study.

The CardioWest total artificial heart (TAH) is a pneumatic device that is used as a bridge to heart transplantation and the only TAH available that totally replaces the failing ventricles. It has been utilized in selected centers in the U.S.

The CardioWest total artificial heart bridge to transplantation: 1993 to 1996 national trial.

Background: We performed a controlled study of a total artificial heart in bridge to transplantation. We hypothesized that the CardioWest total artificial heart used in a selected population of decompensating cardiac transplantation candidates would result in improved survival compared with matched controls.

Methods: The CardioWest trial started in 1993 in six United States institutions under an investigational device exemption from the Food and Drug Administration.

Infections with the CardioWest total artificial heart.

The CardioWest total artificial heart is a pneumatically driven device that totally replaces the failing ventricles. It is currently used as a bridge to heart transplantation in selected centers in the United States under a study by the Food and Drug Administration. Twenty-seven patients have undergone placement of the total artificial heart since 1993 with the intention to bridge to transplantation.