Press Release:

TUCSON, Ariz. – Sept. 19, 2007 – On August 27 and 28, the heart transplant team from Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden, which included Dr. Lars Wiklund, chief of cardiothoracic surgery, and cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Ulf Kjellman, received the first phase of certification training in Berlin to implant the CardioWest™ temporary Total Artificial Heart (TAH-t).

Sahlgrenska University Hospital is the largest hospital in northern Europe, with more than 2,700 beds and 140 departments. Sweden will join Germany, France and Austria as the fourth European country with a hospital certified to implant the only FDA and CE approved temporary artificial heart in the world.

Today there are 22 TAH-t certified centers, 11 in the U.S. and 11 in Europe. Sahlgrenska University Hospital is the 12th hospital in Europe, and the 25th center in the world to complete the first phase of TAH-t certification training.

The CardioWest TAH-t is approved as a bridge-to-transplant for patients dying from end-stage biventricular failure. Their survival depends on receiving a donor heart, or a TAH-t as a bridge-to-transplant.

A pivotal clinical study of the TAH-t published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM 2004; 351: 859-867) showed that 79 percent of patients receiving the TAH-t survived to transplant, the highest survival rate for any device in the world.

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About SynCardia Systems, Inc.

SynCardia Systems, Inc. is the Tucson-based manufacturer of the world’s only FDA, Health Canada and CE approved Total Artificial Heart: the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart. There have been more than 850 implants of the Total Artificial Heart, accounting for more than 190 patient years of life on the device. 

Originally used as a permanent replacement heart, the Total Artificial Heart is currently approved as a bridge to human heart transplant for people dying from end-stage biventricular failure. The Total Artificial Heart is the only device that provides immediate, safe blood flow of up to 9.5 L/min through both ventricles.

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Media Contact:
Don Isaacs
Vice President of Communications
SynCardia Systems, Inc.
Cell: (520) 955-0660