Press Release:

TUCSON, Ariz. – Nov. 19, 2009 – On Nov. 16, the heart failure community suffered a tragic loss when Dr. Kenneth Baughman, a prominent cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, died after being struck by a car while out for a morning jog. Dr. Baughman, 63, was in Orlando, FL, attending the American Heart Association (AHA) 2009 Scientific Sessions.

“Dr. Baughman was my mentor when I was a fellow at Johns Hopkins,” said Dr. Marvin Slepian, interventional cardiologist and Chairman of SynCardia Systems, manufacturer of the SynCardia temporary CardioWest™ Total Artificial Heart. “Over the years, he encouraged my research, including work with the Total Artificial Heart. The heart failure community is greatly saddened by this tragic loss of a pivotal leader.”

As an associate editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Baughman reviewed the professional paper presenting the results of the pivotal clinical study of the Total Artificial Heart, published on Aug. 26, 2004. He also served as the editor of a textbook chapter on the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart, published in Treatment of Advanced Heart Disease in 2006. 

Dr. Baughman had served as the director of the advanced heart disease section of the cardiovascular division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital since 2002. Prior to this position, he had served as the director of the cardiology division at Johns Hopkins Medical Center since 1992 and had been on faculty at Hopkins since 1979.

Dr. Baughman leaves behind his wife, Cheryl, two sons, Matthew and Christopher, their wives Michelle and Holly and four grandchildren.

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About the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart
SynCardia Systems, Inc. (Tucson, AZ) is the privately-held manufacturer of the world's first and only FDA, Health Canada and CE approved Total Artificial Heart. Originally used as a permanent replacement heart, SynCardia's Total Artificial Heart is currently approved as a bridge to transplant for people dying from end-stage biventricular heart failure. There have been more than 950 implants of the Total Artificial Heart, accounting for more than 230 patient years of life.

Similar to a heart transplant, SynCardia's Total Artificial Heart replaces both failing heart ventricles and the four heart valves, eliminating the symptoms and source of end-stage biventricular failure. Unlike a donor heart, the Total Artificial Heart is immediately available at SynCardia Certified Centers and does not require expensive anti-rejection medication, which can cause subsequent complications. It is the only device that provides immediate, safe blood flow of up to 9.5 liters per minute through both ventricles. This high volume of safe blood flow helps speed the recovery of vital organs, helping make the patient a better transplant candidate.

SynCardia Ranked #20 Among World's 50 Most Innovative Companies
In March 2011, Fast Company magazine ranked SynCardia #20 in its annual list of the "World's 50 Most Innovative Companies" for "giving mobility to artificial heart recipients." Weighing 13.5 pounds, SynCardia's Freedom® portable driver is the world's first wearable driver designed to power the Total Artificial Heart both inside and outside the hospital. The Freedom driver is CE approved for use in Europe and undergoing an FDA-approved Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) clinical study in the U.S.

For additional information, please visit: http://www.syncardia.com
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Media Contact:
Don Isaacs
Vice President of Communications
SynCardia Systems, Inc.
Cell: (520) 955-0660