DuraHeart Hits a 77 Percent Survival Rate

September 18, 2007 - The DuraHeart Left Ventricular Assist System (LVAS) reported a survival rate of 77 percent for all patients at 1 and 2 years, according to Aly El-Banayosy, M.D., from the Heart Center Nordrhein-Westfalen in Bad Oeynhausen, Germany, who presented a summary of the results from the European Clinical Trial at the European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgeons (EACTS) meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.

The clinical results from the 33 patient study on the DuraHeart device, manufactured by Terumo Heart Inc., which had a median age of 57 years of age (29-73), included:

* mean support duration (days) = 231±194 (range: 17-803)

* cumulative support duration = 7610 days (> 20 years)

* 7 patients (21%) supported > 1 year, and one supported > 2 years.

* 12 patients (36%) remain on support with a mean duration > 1 year (375± 196 days)

* Kaplan Meier survival at 1 and 2 years was: 77% (all patients), 80% (<65 yrs), 90% (<60 yrs) and 100% (<50)

The DuraHeart LVAS is a third generation circulatory support device intended to provide cardiac support for patients who are at risk of death due to end-stage left ventricular failure. It is currently the only approved implantable LVAS combining a centrifugal pump with magnetic levitation of the impeller, reportedly minimizing the potential for blood damage and thrombus. DuraHeart is not available in the United States.

For more information: www.terumo.com