Sydney hospital first in the world to implant new heart device

Heart failure affects 300,000 Australians, with over 30,000 new diagnoses made every year. The first implantation of a next-generation heart device for patients with end-stage heart failure has been performed at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney.

In a landmark procedure, cardiothoracic and transplant surgeon Dr Paul Jansz led the team to implant the CorWave Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), a French-invented, first-in-human device that uses an “undulating membrane” technology to mimic the natural heartbeat and help circulate blood throughout the body. The breakthrough offers hope to patients awaiting heart transplants by sustaining them until a donor organ becomes available.

“The surgical procedure is very similar to the implantation of the current generation of left ventricular assist devices. However, unlike the latter, this new generation system allows for the preservation of the natural pulse, which is potentially a game-changer. We could be opening up a new era of circulatory support,” said Dr Jansz.

Marking a major milestone in cardiac care, the CorWave LVAD is the first innovation to challenge the decades-old standard of continuous-flow rotary pumps, which have been the cornerstone of mechanical heart support since their introduction 27 years ago.

Unlike rotary systems that deliver a constant, unmodulated flow, the CorWave device is designed to work in harmony with the heart’s natural pulse while dynamically adjusting blood flow based on the patient’s activity – whether resting or moving.

“The entire medical team is impressed by the CorWave device’s performance. We are happy with the patient’s post-operative recovery. The results we’re seeing are very encouraging for the future,” said Professor Chris Hayward, heart failure and transplant cardiologist at St Vincent’s.

The historic implant is part of an international clinical research program involving approximately 20 patients across six hospitals – four in Europe and two in Australia, including St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney and The Alfred in Melbourne.

Patient Michael Smith, 67, who received the first implant, had no idea he was living with advanced heart failure.

“I just thought when I was tired and run down that it was just old age,” he said. “I went to the doctor and said I was tired all the time. Got sent to a doctor in Griffith and he put me in hospital straight away. The next day I was on a plane coming here (to St Vincent’s). It was pretty serious.”

His recovery, he said, has been life-changing. “The way I feel now is much better than the way I felt when I came here. A lot better. I’m walking around. Everything’s good. I’m feeling 100% better than before I came in.”

CorWave CEO, Louis de Lillers, said “We owe this moment to the trust of the patient, the excellence of the team at St Vincent’s, and the perseverance of our team, investors and partners who have backed CorWave’s vision over the years.

“We look forward to writing a new chapter in circulatory support alongside the scientific and medical community, with the shared goal of significantly improving the lives of advanced heart failure patients.”

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