In a historic medical breakthrough, an Australian man in his 40s became the first person in the world to leave the hospital with a virtually unbreakable titanium heart. For 105 days, this revolutionary artificial organ sustained his life, giving him a chance to wait for a human donor heart.
The BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart, about the size of a fist, functioned as the patient’s lifeline by continuously pushing blood to his lungs. Without it, doctors say his real heart would have failed before a donor organ became available. Prior to the implant, even a short 10-to-15-meter walk left him breathless. Now, he’s reclaiming a quality of life he hadn’t experienced in years.
Lead surgeon Paul Jansz called the innovation a “complete game-changer”, admitting that witnessing its success gave him “goosebumps.” Transplant cardiologist Chris Hayward, who headed the surgical team at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, emphasized its global impact: “The BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart ushers in a whole new ball game for heart transplants, both in Australia and internationally.”
The development of this groundbreaking artificial heart has been in the works for nearly 25 years. In 2023, a 58-year-old man in the U.S. became the first person to receive the device, which kept him alive for eight days before he underwent a successful transplant. Now, with the first implant outside the U.S. and the sixth overall, the technology is proving its long-term viability.
Biomedical engineer Daniel Timms, the mastermind behind the BiVACOR heart, started working on the device in 2001 after his father suffered a heart attack. Inspired by his plumber father, Timms initially experimented with pipes and valves in a hardware store to mimic the human circulatory system. Seeing his invention save a life in Australia has brought him “full circle.”
“Being able to bring Australia along this journey and be part of the first clinical trials is immensely important to me,” Timms stated.
What sets the BiVACOR heart apart from previous artificial hearts is its durability and efficiency. Unlike traditional artificial hearts that rely on flexing membranes and valves, this device is made of titanium and has just one moving part—a magnetically levitating rotor. This design eliminates friction, preventing wear and tear over time.
The only component requiring replacement is the external battery, which exits through the abdomen. In the lab, the heart has been running flawlessly for over four years, demonstrating its potential to be a long-term solution for heart failure patients.
Weighing 650 grams, the BiVACOR heart is compact enough to fit not just in an adult male, but also in a woman or a child as young as 12. Despite its small size, it’s powerful enough to sustain a fully grown man even during physical activity.
Each year, fewer than 6,000 heart transplants take place worldwide, despite millions suffering from end-stage heart failure. Traditional artificial hearts have been approved only sparingly by the FDA, leaving patients with limited options.
BiVACOR is still undergoing clinical trials, but if it continues to perform well, it may soon become a commercially available life-saving alternative for those who cannot wait for a donor heart.
