In Sydney, an Australian man in his 40s has made medical history by surviving more than 100 days with a titanium total artificial heart. Remarkably, he even spent part of that time at home, walking around with a battery pack that replaced his natural heartbeat.

The device, known as the BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart, replaces both the left and right pumping chambers of the heart. It features a magnetically levitated rotor that moves blood through the body—without valves or a natural heartbeat—providing a steady, reliable flow.

Doctors at St Vincent’s Hospital implanted the heart in late 2024 as a bridge to a donor organ. It successfully sustained him until a compatible human heart became available in early March 2025, when surgeons performed a transplant. He is now recovering.

This milestone is significant because it marks the first time anyone has left a hospital living with a titanium total artificial heart. Reaching the 100-day mark demonstrates that patients may safely remain at home while awaiting a transplant, greatly improving quality of life.

Beyond this individual case, the breakthrough has broader implications. With donor hearts in short supply, devices like the BiVACOR could provide crucial extra time for thousands of patients. Advances in artificial heart technology may even offer long-term solutions for those who cannot receive a transplant.

For now, this achievement represents a proof of hope: a family gained precious time together, a medical team advanced the frontiers of care, and a small titanium pump kept a human life alive past the 100-day milestone.

References

“Australian man survives 100 days with artificial heart in world-first success,” The Guardian
“Australian becomes first in world discharged with durable total artificial heart after more than 100 days,” ABC News (Australia)
“St Vincent’s makes history with Australia’s first BiVACOR total artificial heart implant; patient discharged, then transplanted after 100+ days,” St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney
“Man survives with titanium heart for 100 days — a world first,” Nature
“Australian man makes history by living with a titanium heart for more than 100 days before receiving a transplant,” Smithsonian Magazine