Arrow International's LionHeart, a fully implantable left ventricular assist system, has been implanted in a person for the first time.
The operation was performed at the German Heart Center in Bad Oeynhausen, Germany.
"The LionHeart represents the first permanent alternative to heart transplantation for end-stage heart failure by providing an electrically driven assist pump to supplement the failing native heart," Arrow said in a statement. Its availability on a widespread basis "will depend on successful clinical trials and approvals by regulatory agencies," the company said.
Energy for the device is delivered transcutaneously from a battery pack and an external coil to a coil that is surgically implanted under the patient's skin. Such a configuration eliminates the need for wires to penetrate the skin, "significantly reducing the potential for infection compared to current devices," Arrow said.
The company anticipates that patients with the LionHeart will be able to live at home and return to work. Arrow has been developing the device for seven years in conjunction with the Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pa.
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