April 24, 2008 - SynCardia Systems Inc., the manufacturer of the CardioWest temporary Total Artificial Heart (TAH-t), has recognized Mayo Clinic Arizona and Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center as 'CardioWest 100 Percent Centers for 2007' for a 100 percent success rate in CardioWest artificial heart implants in 2007.
The CardioWest artificial heart is approved as a bridge-to-transplant for patients dying from end stage biventricular failure. These patients are often days, if not hours from death. Their survival depends on receiving a donor heart, or a CardioWest artificial heart as a bridge to human heart transplant.
Vigneshwar Kasirajan, M.D., chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery for VCU Medical Center, has reached this milestone two years in row. Since VCU Medical Center became CardioWest certified on April 3, 2006, they have bridged eight of their CardioWest patients to transplant four in 2006 and four in 2007.
"SynCardia's CardioWest TAH-t is capable of supporting the sickest of patients with outstanding survival," said Dr. Kasirajan. "We are honored to be a part of this award and a part of this CardioWest program."
Mayo Clinic Arizona became a CardioWest certified center on Aug. 22, 2007. Since then, Heart Transplant Program Surgical Director Francisco Arabia, M.D., and his team have bridged all five of their CardioWest patients to transplant.
"Our success with this device is a tribute to both our expert medical staff and the proven life-saving capabilities of this device,"? said Dr. Arabia. "With the TAH-t, we can help some of the sickest patients get a second chance at life."
For more information: www.syncardia.com
November 20, 2023 
