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Updated: Aug 29, 2026
Implantation of the Syncardia Total Artificial Heart
Published on: July 18, 2014
Bridge to transplantation with the Jarvik-7 (CardioWest) total artificial heart: a single-center 15-year experience
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, La Pitié-Salpétrière Hospital, Paris, France. pascal.leprince@psl.ap-hop-paris.fr
Insights
The total artificial heart (TAH) serves as a safe and effective bridge to heart transplantation for critically ill patients with end-stage congestive heart failure, demonstrating improved outcomes over time.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Medical Devices
- Transplantation Surgery
Background:
- The Jarvik-7 total artificial heart (TAH) has been utilized since 1986 at our institution.
- It serves as a bridge to transplantation for patients with terminal congestive heart failure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the institutional experience with the Jarvik-7 TAH as a bridge to transplantation.
- To evaluate patient outcomes and complications over different time periods.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 127 patients received the Jarvik-7 TAH between 1986 and 2001.
- Patients were categorized based on the etiology of heart failure and analyzed across three distinct time intervals.
- Data on transplant rates, duration of support, and complications were collected.
Main Results:
- The percentage of transplanted patients increased significantly over time, reaching 74% in the latest period.
- The duration of TAH support for transplant recipients also increased substantially.
- Low rates of thromboembolic events were observed, though bleeding complications occurred in 26% of patients.
Conclusions:
- The total artificial heart (TAH) is a safe and effective option for patients awaiting cardiac transplantation.
- It provides a viable bridge to transplant for individuals with end-stage congestive heart failure.
Background:
At our institution, the total artificial heart (TAH) Jarvik-7 (CardioWest) has been used since 1986 as a bridge to transplantation for the most severely ill patients with terminal congestive heart failure.
Methods:
Between 1986 and 2001, 127 patients (108 males, mean age 38 +/- 13) were bridged to transplantation with the Jarvik-7 TAH. All were in terminal biventricular failure despite high-dose inotropic support. Nine patients had a body surface area (BSA) of <1.6 m(2). In Group I patients (78%), the etiology of cardiac failure was dilated cardiomyopathy, either idiopathic (n = 60) or ischemic (n = 38). The other 29 patients (Group II) had disease of miscellaneous origin. We analyzed our experience with regard to 3 time periods: 1986 to 1992 (n = 63); 1993 to 1997 (n = 36); and 1998 to 2001 (n = 33).
Results:
Although Group II patients represented 30% of indications before 1992, they comprised only 15% during the 2 subsequent periods. Duration of support for transplant patients increased dramatically after 1997, reaching 2 months for the most recent period (5 to 271 days). In Group I, the percentage of transplanted patients increased from 43% before 1993 to 55% between 1993 and 1997, and reached 74% thereafter. The major cause of death was multiorgan failure (67%). The clinical thromboembolic event rate was particularly low with no instance of cerebrovascular accident and 2 transient ischemic attacks. Total bleeding complication rate was 26%, including 2 deaths related to intractable hemorrhage and 2 others related to atrial tamponade. The cumulative experience was 3,606 total implant days with only 1 instance of mechanical dysfunction.
Conclusions:
TAH is a safe and efficient bridge for patients with terminal congestive heart failure awaiting cardiac transplantation.
