Patient Story

Meet: Andrzej Bielak

• Age: 49 (at implant)
• Diagnosis: Dilated and ischemic cardiomyopathy
• Implant date: Nov. 24, 2006
• Transplant date: May 21, 2008
• Time on the Total: 544 days
• Residence: Backnang, Germany
• Hospital: Heart & Diabetes Center NRW
• Surgeon: Drs. Latif Arusoglu & Michiel Morshuis

Months to Live

In 2006, Andrzej Bielak suffered a heart attack that left his heart muscle severely damaged. Doctors told him that if he didn’t get a heart transplant, he would have only months to live. Soon after, Andrzej slipped into a coma for 12 weeks. During this time, no donor heart became available. To save his life, on Nov. 20, 2006, a surgical team implanted the SynCardia temporary CardioWest™ Total Artificial Heart.

“Beautiful Ticking”

For the next year and a half, everywhere Andrzej went, he was accompanied by what he describes as the “beautiful ticking” of the Total Artificial Heart that kept him alive.

“You can have a good life with the Total Artificial Heart,” said Andrzej. “You need the help of your family of course, but the difference between living with a Total Artificial Heart and a human heart is less than you would expect.”

Life at Home with the Portable Driver

During the first month Andrzej was on the Total Artificial Heart, his health improved dramatically and his condition stabilized. On Dec. 22, 2006, he was discharged from the Heart & Diabetes Center NRW in Bad Oeynhausen, Germany, using the European portable driver to power his Total Artificial Heart. He returned home to his family in Backnang, Germany, to wait for his matching donor heart.

“Living with the Total Artificial Heart and the portable driver helped me enjoy an independent life,” said Andrzej. “I was able to go on walks, do housework, go shopping, play darts and attend birthday parties.”

Andrzej was even able to return to work running his own business, a local household goods store.

Bridge-to-Transplant

On May 20, 2008, the Heart & Diabetes Center NRW notified Andrzej that a potential donor heart had been found. The next day, Andrzej received the heart transplant he had been waiting 18 months for. Three days later, Andrzej awoke to see his wife of 24 years Anita, sitting on his bed, holding his hand.

“It was the most beautiful moment of my life,” Andrzej said.

In Germany, the typical recovery time for heart transplant patients is five weeks. However, just three weeks after his transplant, Andrzej was released from the hospital to return home with his new donor heart.

“Today, I live a smooth life,” said Andrzej. “My first priority in life is my family now. I speak with many people about my story, about living with the Total Artificial Heart and about the need for donor hearts.”