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-- WITH PHOTO -- TO BUSINESS, HEALTH, AND MEDICAL EDITORS:
Top U.S. Heart Surgeons Share Best Practices for Using the SynCardia
Total Artificial Heart
TUCSON, Ariz., March 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Thought leaders in the
U.S. heart transplant and mechanical device field recently detailed
the best practices for a growing list of uses for the SynCardia
temporary Total Artificial Heart, demonstrating how the world's first
and only FDA, Health Canada and CE approved Total Artificial Heart can
give very sick patients with end-stage biventricular heart failure
second chances at life.
Listen to the 35-minute SynCardia Users Best Practices Conference
These talented heart surgeons shared cases that illustrate the use of
the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart as a bridge to donor heart
transplant for patients whose complex medical conditions require the
SynCardia Heart for survival.
-- Dr. Francisco Arabia, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
-- Dr. Brian Bruckner, Houston Methodist Hospital's DeBakey Heart
Center
-- Dr. Jack G. Copeland, University of California, San Diego
-- Dr. Igor Gregoric, Memorial Hermann - Texas Medical Center
-- Dr. Vigneshwar Kasirajan, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical
Center
-- Dr. Angela Lorts, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
In a conference call with physicians from SynCardia Certified Centers,
the physicians discussed interesting cases treating patients with the
SynCardia Total Artificial Heart.
"Our job is to try and promote the education of these unusual
(etiologies) because they are happening more and more often
worldwide," said Michael P. Garippa, SynCardia CEO and President.
"Future calls will address amyloidosis, myocarditis and many others."
Cardiac Tumor
Bruckner and Gregoric spoke about two cases of patients with cardiac
sarcoma. In each case, the cancerous, failing heart was removed and a
SynCardia Heart implanted.
"I think the use of the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart can be a
viable alternative, especially to young patients who have isolated
cardiac tumor," said Bruckner, "and may become transplant candidates.
"It's a viable option for patients who have no other options."
Transplant Rejection & Recovery of Kidney Function
Lorts detailed the case of a 19-year-old woman who suffered both
failure of one remaining kidney and rejection of a donor heart. She
was implanted with the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart in Nov. 2012.
For almost two months after the implant surgery, she continued to
produce no urine, so she was scheduled for surgery on Jan. 2, 2013 to
receive a permanent catheter. However, on Jan. 1, she began making
urine. She was transplanted with a second donor heart last December.
Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)
Gregoric detailed his case of a 63-year-old male who had a heart
attack resulting in a large VSD followed by cardiogenic shock. The
patient was placed on a cardiac assist device, but when doctors could
not close the growing defect, they replaced the device and his failing
heart with a SynCardia Heart.
Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Failure
Arabia and Kasirajan discussed the use of the SynCardia Heart because
of infection and thrombosis that sometimes occur after a VAD implant.
They noted that in some VAD failure patients dealing with arrhythmias,
or rapid heartbeat, SynCardia Heart implants could be a better choice
because of the difficulty in controlling the condition.
Best Practices
Copeland led a discussion on strategies surgeons can use to fit a 70cc
SynCardia Heart into a smaller patient who may be outside the 1.7 BSA
(Body Surface Area) measurement. Lorts told of her experience using 3D
software that allows surgeons to virtually implant the SynCardia Heart
before the actual operation.
Doctors at Cincinnati Children's have used the software for fit
studies to determine which pediatric patients might be able to receive
a 70cc SynCardia Heart implant. "It's really helpful for the
congenital kids because you can reconstruct and see where everything
is going to fit," said Lorts. The software is planned to be used
following the FDA-approved 50cc SynCardia Total Artificial Heart
study.
SynCardia plans to launch clinical trials this summer using the
smaller 50cc SynCardia Total Artificial Heart designed for people of
smaller stature. Once approved by the FDA, it and the 70cc size will
allow all adults and many adolescents to be eligible for a SynCardia
Heart implant.
More than 400 SynCardia Total Artificial Heart implants have been
performed since January 2011. The SynCardia Heart has provided almost
130,000 patient days of support in nearly 1,300 implants. The youngest
patient to receive a SynCardia Heart was 9 years old; the oldest was
76 years old.
-- Read one patient's experience with reversal of renal failure with
the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart.
-- Watch a video presentation on reversing organ failure with the
SynCardia Total Artificial Heart.
-- Read about a case report on a virtual 3D modeling platform that
helps surgeons fit the SynCardia Heart.
CAUTION - The Freedom portable driver is an investigational device,
limited by United States law to investigational use.
About the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart
For additional information, please visit: http://www.syncardia.com/
Like SynCardia on Facebook Follow SynCardia on Twitter - @SynCardia
Connect with SynCardia on LinkedIn
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140325/LA90682
SOURCE SynCardia Systems, Inc.
-0- 03/25/2014
/CONTACT: Don Isaacs, Vice President of Communications, SynCardia Systems, Inc., Cell: (520) 955-0660
/Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140325/LA90682
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
/Web Site: http://www.syncardia.com
CO: SynCardia Systems, Inc.
ST: Arizona
IN: MEQ HEA MTC
SU: SVY
PRN
-- LA90682 --
0000 03/25/2014 21:00:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
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