An Australian man with severe heart failure became the first person in the world to be discharged from hospital with BiVACOR’s Total Artificial Heart, the researchers and doctors announced on March 12.

The six-hour surgery took place in late November 2024 at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney and the 40-year-old patient was then discharged with the BiVACOR total artificial heart in early February.

The BiVACOR ‘Total Artificial Heart’ was invented by Australian scientist Dr. Daniel Timms and is the world’s first titanium implantable device that can act as a complete replacement for the human heart, replicating both sides of the organ.

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One of the significant differences between BiVACOR’s heart and other total artificial hearts is the use of magnetic levitation technology to reduce wear and tear over time.

The implant was initially designed as a bridge to keep patients alive until a donor heart transplant is possible, but Timms’ goal is for the artificial device to one day become a permanent solution.

The patient was the sixth person in the world to receive the device and the first Australian to undergo the procedure. The first implant happened in July 2024 in Texas, United States.

The patient received his donor heart transplant in March and is recovering well.

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(Production: Cordelia Hsu)