An  Australian man in his 40s was saved by a metal heart after ending up on the waiting list to receive a donor heart. He lived for over 100 days on the device, becoming the first ever human to survive for so long on an artificial heart.

The BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart (TAH) can pump blood at a high rate of 12 liters per minute. 

Designed by Australian biomedical engineer Dr. Daniel Timms, the BiVACOR TAH utilizes magnetic levitation technology, similar to that used in high-speed trains, to replicate the natural blood flow of a healthy heart.

The titanium heart is both durable and biocompatible. Weighing only 650 grams, it is a compact device and therefore, fit to be implanted in both men and women.
Traditional mechanical heart devices often support only the left side of the heart, making them inefficient in cases of severe biventricular heart failure. The BiVACOR TAH overcomes the inefficiency by completely replacing the function of both heart ventricles.

The device is proficient in pumping blood, delivering flows over 12 liters per minute. This is enough cardiac output for an adult male during exercise. In comparison, at rest, an adult human heart typically pumps around 5 liters of blood per minute.

The TAH also takes care of patients’ mobility and freedom of movement. As it is powered by an external controller and battery system, patients can manage their daily activities without being tethered to switch boards.

As for the design, it is minimalistic. A single moving part—a magnetically suspended rotor—that propels blood to both the pulmonary and systemic circulations, effectively replaces the function of a human heart.

There are no valves or flexing ventricle chambers to aggravate mechanical wear, reducing the risk of blood trauma. This potentially increases the device’s durability and reliability.

Under the FDA Early Feasibility Study, five patients have been implanted with titanium heart while waiting for a donor heart.

The Australian patient received the BiVACOR implant on 22 November 2024, at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney.

After living with the device for over 100 days, he underwent a successful heart transplant in early March 2025.

Previously, as part of an FDA Early Feasibility Study, five patients in the United States had been implanted with the BiVACOR device between July and November 2024.

However, these patients were supported by the device for only up to a month while awaiting donor hearts. The Australian man has survived the longest duration with BiVACOR TAH before receiving a donor’s heart.

The BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart could transform the way we treat heart failure. Its MAGLEV technology has reduced mechanical wear and tear by deploying a single moving part, increasing the device’s durability compared to existing mechanical heart devices.

The ongoing clinical trials aim to expand the use of the BiVACOR heart. If successful, it could be a permanent solution for patients who are not candidates for traditional heart transplants due to age or other health conditions.