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Updated: Aug 11, 2026
Implantation of the Syncardia Total Artificial Heart
Published on: July 18, 2014
Surgical restoration of the failing left ventricle
1Department of Cardiac Surgery, Oxford Heart Centre, The John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Insights
Heart failure (HF) is a growing concern. New surgical options are needed as donor organs for heart transplantation become scarce, impacting survival for patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Surgical Innovation
Background:
- Increasing life expectancy worldwide elevates heart failure (HF) as a significant public health issue.
- Patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction can maintain functional capacity for years.
- Decreasing donor organ availability limits heart transplantation options.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address the growing need for alternative surgical strategies in managing advanced heart failure.
- To evaluate new surgical options for patients with deteriorating heart failure.
- To inform clinical decision-making regarding heart transplantation for ischemic cardiomyopathy.
Main Methods:
- Review of current survival data for transplant-listed patients with ischemic heart disease.
- Analysis of donor organ availability trends in the US and UK.
- Exploration of the role of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) in managing cardiogenic shock.
Main Results:
- Survival rates for patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy awaiting transplantation are comparable to those transplanted, especially when supported by LVADs.
- A critical shortage of donor organs exists, with limited availability annually.
- Current criteria for committing patients to transplantation are challenging without advanced support.
Conclusions:
- There is an urgent requirement for novel surgical interventions for heart failure patients.
- The scarcity of donor organs necessitates exploring alternatives to traditional heart transplantation.
- Further research into new surgical options is crucial for improving outcomes in advanced heart failure.
Abstract:
As life expectancy increases in the Western world, heart failure (HF) is a major public health concern. Many patients with markedly reduced left ventricular ejection fraction can survive for years with reasonable functional capacity. Transplant-listed patients (LV) with ischemic heart disease who do not receive a donor organ may have a 3- to 4-year survival that equates with those transplanted. Thus, it is difficult to decide when to commit a patient with ischemic cardiomyopathy to transplantation unless supported by a LV assist device for cardiogenic shock. At the same time, the availability of donor organs is decreasing, with only 2000 per year in the United States and less than 300 in the United Kingdom. Consequently, there is a need to evaluate new surgical options for the deteriorating HF patient.
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