Man Survives 100 Days with Artificial Titanium Heart in Groundbreaking Trial.

An Australian man has set a new record by living for 100 days with an artificial titanium heart while awaiting a donor transplant—the longest anyone has used the technology to date.

The patient, a man in his 40s who chose to remain anonymous, received the implant during surgery at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney last November. In February, he became the first person globally to be discharged from the hospital with the device, which sustained him until a suitable heart donor became available earlier this month.

According to a joint statement released on March 12 by St. Vincent’s Hospital, Monash University, and BiVACOR—the US-Australian company behind the artificial heart—the man, who suffered from severe heart failure, is now “recovering well.”

The ability of the device to keep him alive for such an extended period is being hailed as a breakthrough, signaling that artificial hearts could become a viable long-term solution for heart failure patients. However, the device is still in the trial phase and has not yet been approved for widespread use.

BiVACOR’s founder, Australian bioengineer Daniel Timms, developed the device following his father’s death from heart disease. He described this milestone as “exhilarating,” adding that it was the culmination of decades of research and development.

“The entire BiVACOR team is deeply grateful to the patient and his family for placing their trust in our Total Artificial Heart,” Timms said. “Their courage will help pave the way for countless others to receive this lifesaving technology.”

The BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart (TAH) is uniquely designed with a single moving component—a levitated rotor suspended by magnets. Made from titanium, the device operates without valves or mechanical bearings, reducing the risk of wear and tear. It functions by pumping blood to both the body and lungs, effectively replacing the ventricles of a failing heart.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, claiming approximately 18 million lives each year, according to the World Health Organization.

The long-term goal is to use the BiVACOR heart to help those waiting for donor transplants. In 2024, around 3,500 heart transplants were performed in the United States, while approximately 4,400 new patients joined the waiting list, according to the U.S. Health Department.

Professor Chris Hayward from the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute described the BiVACOR heart as a game-changer for heart transplants.

“Within the next decade, we will see artificial hearts becoming a viable alternative for patients who cannot wait for a donor heart or for whom a donor heart is simply unavailable,” said Hayward, who is overseeing the Australian patient’s recovery and helped prepare the device for clinical trials.

The BiVACOR artificial heart has already been tested as part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Early Feasibility Study, with five patients successfully receiving the implant.