Total artificial heart for bridge to cardiac transplantation: first patient at home in Turkey

Abstract

Total artificial heart (TAH) is a mechanical circulatory support system used for keeping the patients with end-stage heart failure alive until cardiac transplantation. In this article, we aimed to present our experience with the first patient who was discharged from the hospital after TAH implantation and scheduled for cardiac transplantation in Turkey. A 45-year-old male patient who received medical therapy for dilated cardiomyopathy was implanted a TAH until an appropriate donor was found for cardiac transplantation due to severe biventricular heart failure and large body size of the patient. He was discharged from the hospital at 60 days postoperatively with the Freedom Driver and has been still waiting for an appropriate donor for cardiac transplantation for two years at home. SynCardia TAH is an effective and safe therapeutic system, providing a high cardiac output (~10 L/min), particularly in patients with a large body surface area and chest cavity. Freedom Driver also enables patients to live at home safely.