Darlinghurst have made history. A man in his 40s became the first in Australia to live for months with a total artificial heart, showing the world what’s possible for patients with advanced heart failure.
Australian Surgeons Make History with Australia’s First Total Artificial Heart Implant
A Darlinghurst man is Australia’s first to be given a total artificial heart, living without the use of a human heart for 105 days before undergoing a transplant. The landmark procedure was performed at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital, where a medical team fitted the BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart (TAH), a device designed to completely take the place of the human heart.
A Medical Breakthrough in Heart Failure Treatment
The patient, a man in his 40s with severe heart failure, underwent the six-hour procedure in November 2024. Led by Dr Paul Jansz, a St Vincent’s cardiothoracic surgeon, the team was able to install the BiVACOR TAH, a sophisticated titanium heart using magnetic levitation technology. Unlike other artificial hearts, the device has no mechanical valves and is capable of varying blood flow according to the body’s requirements.
After the operation, the patient spent a few weeks in intensive care before the doctors decided he was healthy enough to go home. He’s the first person outside of the United States to live at home while completely reliant on an artificial heart.
A Life-Saving Bridge to Transplant
For over three months, the BiVACOR TAH functioned as his heart, allowing him to maintain daily activities while awaiting a donor. On March 6, 2025, a compatible donor heart became available, and he received a successful heart transplant. The man is recovering and expected to return to full health.
Australian biomedical engineer Dr Daniel Timms built the BiVACOR TAH, more than two decades in the works. It’s different from old-style heart pumps, though; it’s built to be durable enough to remain in use over a decade, without ever sustaining wear and tear.
Future of Artificial Heart Technology in Australia
The procedure is part of the Artificial Heart Frontiers Program (AHFP), a $50 million government-funded initiative led by Monash University. The program aims to advance heart failure treatment and develop next-generation implantable heart devices. St Vincent’s Hospital, which has a long history of pioneering heart transplants, is expected to play a key role in future artificial heart trials.
Experts say the success of this case could change the way advanced heart failure is treated, offering an alternative for patients who may never receive a donor heart. While transplants remain the preferred solution, artificial hearts could bridge the gap for thousands of Australians on waiting lists.
Published 13-March-2025
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