Australian Man Becomes First to Leave Hospital with Artificial Heart in Medical Breakthrough

The BiVACOR artificial heart, developed by Dr. Daniel Timms, sustained the patient for over 100 days before a successful donor heart transplant.

Doctors at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney performed the six-hour procedure in November, implanting the BiVACOR artificial heart into a man with severe heart failure.
The patient became the first person in the world to be discharged from a hospital with the device, living with it for over 100 days before receiving a donor heart in March.
The BiVACOR heart uses magnetic levitation to replicate natural blood flow, reducing wear and tear and minimizing risks like clotting and stroke.
Inventor Dr. Daniel Timms, inspired by his late father’s battle with heart failure, has been developing the device for over two decades as a potential long-term alternative to heart transplants.
The procedure is part of Australia’s Artificial Heart Frontiers Program, which aims to advance heart failure treatment with support from a $50 million federal grant.