Medical Design and Outsourcing

  • Home
  • Medical Device Business
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Financial
    • Regulatory
  • Applications
    • Cardiovascular
    • Devices
    • Imaging
    • Implantables
    • Medical Equipment
    • Orthopedic
    • Surgical
  • Technologies
    • Supplies and Components Index
    • Contract Manufacturing
    • Components
    • Electronics
    • Extrusions
    • Materials
    • Motion Control
    • Prototyping
    • Pumps
    • Tubing
  • MedTech Resources
    • Medtech Events in 2025
    • The 2024 Medtech Big 100
    • Medical Device Handbook
    • MedTech 100 Index
    • Subscribe to Print Magazine
    • DeviceTalks
    • Digital Editions
    • eBooks
    • Manufacturer Search
    • Podcasts
    • Print Subscription
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
    • Voices
    • Video
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Women in Medtech
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Surgeons Perform First Total Artificial Heart ‘Bridge to Transplant’ in North Texas

March 16, 2016 By Baylor Scott & White Health

A surgical team at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas successfully performed a heart transplant on a patient they were keeping alive with a total artificial heart, a portable device that pumps blood throughout the body when both sides of the heart fail.

The heart transplant was performed February 29. Weeks earlier, Baylor University Medical Center surgeons had removed the patient’s damaged native heart and replaced it with a total artificial heart. The lifesaving technology is used as a “bridge” for patients who have end-stage biventricular heart failure and are waiting for a donor human heart or who are too sick to receive a transplant. It provides mechanical support until a donor human heart can be found.

Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas is the only hospital in the region to implant a total artificial heart and transition the patient to a successful heart transplant. The center joins select group of high volume transplant centers across the country to offer this service for patients.

“This is a special day for our patient and for our entire team,” said Shelley Hall, MD, chief of transplant cardiology, mechanical circulatory support and heart failure, Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. “The patients who need this technology are the sickest of the sick and we are proud to offer our patients the latest tool to battle the nation’s number one killer, heart disease.”

A total artificial heart (TAH) is an implantable, portable device that temporarily replaces the two lower chambers of the heart. It can be used in patients with end-stage biventricular heart failure, where both sides of the heart are failing to pump enough blood to sustain the body. The device provides mechanical support until a donor heart can be found. (Credit: SynCardia)

The patient, 52-year-old Bryan Tyo, is a McKinney resident who suffered a heart attack in January. The damage to his heart was so advanced that repair surgery and other mechanical assist devices could not help.

“Baylor now offers every option for our heart failure patients,” said Themistokles Chamogeorgakis, MD, associate surgical director of heart transplantation and mechanical circulatory support, Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. “With fewer donor hearts becoming available, it is critical to offer these opportunities to bridge our patients to transplant.”

Tyo is the first patient in North Texas to use the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart Freedom driver. It is a 13.5-pound portable unit that powered his artificial heart. The device replaced both failing ventricles and the four heart valves, restored an immediate flow of blood to the body and helped vital organs recover faster.

The SynCardia Total Artificial Heart Freedom driver is a 13.5-pound portable unit that powered his artificial heart. The device replaced both failing ventricles and the four heart valves, restored an immediate flow of blood to the body and helped vital organs recover faster. (Credit: SynCardia)

“I’m just thankful for this second chance at life,” said Tyo. “My wife and I celebrated our 25th anniversary in October and I’ve got 25 more years to be with her, if she’ll put up with me,” he joked.

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of nearly 600,000 people a year. The bridge to transplant option is critical because only 2,200 donor hearts become available every year in the U.S.

While wait times can vary, Baylor University Medical Center has a median wait time of seven days for status 1A heart transplant patients from the time they are listed to transplant, one of the shortest wait times in the country.

Related Articles Read More >

A photo of Capstan Medical's mitral valve implant, which uses nitinol.
Capstan Medical’s R&D head discusses the heart valve and robotics startup’s tech, engineering challenges and solutions, advice for others in medtech and how to join his team
This is a Phillips Medisize marketing image of
Phillips Medisize launches TheraVolt medical connectors
An illustration of a neurosurgeon using a robotic endoscope to remove a brain tumor.
MDO Nitinol Innovation Special Report
An image of the Abbott Volt PFA System catheter and cart, which helps physicians visualize the location and effectiveness of cardiac ablation.
Abbott’s Volt PFA system isn’t just a catheter and a waveform
“mdo
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest medical device business news, application and technology trends.

DeviceTalks Weekly

See More >

MDO Digital Edition

Digital Edition

Subscribe to Medical Design & Outsourcing. Bookmark, share and interact with the leading medical design engineering magazine today.

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.
DeviceTalks

DeviceTalks is a conversation among medical technology leaders. It's events, podcasts, webinars and one-on-one exchanges of ideas & insights.

DeviceTalks

New MedTech Resource

Medical Tubing

MassDevice

Mass Device

The Medical Device Business Journal. MassDevice is the leading medical device news business journal telling the stories of the devices that save lives.

Visit Website
MDO ad
Medical Design and Outsourcing
  • MassDevice
  • DeviceTalks
  • MedTech100 Index
  • Medical Tubing + Extrusion
  • Medical Design Sourcing
  • Drug Delivery Business News
  • Drug Discovery & Development
  • Pharmaceutical Processing World
  • R&D World
  • About Us/Contact
  • Advertise With Us
  • Subscribe to Print Magazine
  • Subscribe to our E-Newsletter
  • Listen to our Weekly Podcasts
  • Join our DeviceTalks Tuesdays Discussion

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media LLC. Site Map | Privacy Policy | RSS

Search Medical Design & Outsourcing

  • Home
  • Medical Device Business
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Financial
    • Regulatory
  • Applications
    • Cardiovascular
    • Devices
    • Imaging
    • Implantables
    • Medical Equipment
    • Orthopedic
    • Surgical
  • Technologies
    • Supplies and Components Index
    • Contract Manufacturing
    • Components
    • Electronics
    • Extrusions
    • Materials
    • Motion Control
    • Prototyping
    • Pumps
    • Tubing
  • MedTech Resources
    • Medtech Events in 2025
    • The 2024 Medtech Big 100
    • Medical Device Handbook
    • MedTech 100 Index
    • Subscribe to Print Magazine
    • DeviceTalks
    • Digital Editions
    • eBooks
    • Manufacturer Search
    • Podcasts
    • Print Subscription
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
    • Voices
    • Video
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Women in Medtech
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe