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Tucson, Ariz.-February 15, 2007 - Dr.
Marvin Slepian, co-founder and chairman of SynCardia Systems, Inc. will be presenting
the CardioWest™ temporary Total Artificial Heart (TAH-t) at the 4th International
Wine and Heart Health summit at the Silverado Resort in Napa Valley, CA on February
17th.
The focus of the February conference is the effect of
wine on cardiovascular health with emphasis on disease prevention. It also
includes a session on landmark advances in medical technology during which Dr.
Slepian will present, "Technology in Medicine: Development of the Artificial
Heart".
“It is important for all medical professionals
to know that the artificial heart is successfully being used as a bridge to transplant
for transplant eligible patients dying from end stage biventricular failure,”
explains Dr. Slepian.
“The CardioWest™ TAH-t completely replaces
the blood pumping function of the diseased heart. This device has proven to be
a life-saver, allowing patients to recuperate and regain their strength which
more than doubles their odds of living another year.”
A New England Journal of Medicine paper published on
August 26, 2004 (NEJM 2004; 351: 859-867), states that in the pivotal clinical
study of the TAH-t, the one year survival rate for patients receiving the CardioWest
TAH-t was 70 percent versus 31 percent for control patients who did not receive
the device.
The culmination of over forty years of research on Artificial
Hearts initiated as a mandate during the Kennedy administration, the CardioWest™
TAH-t is still the first and only FDA and CE approved temporary Total Artificial
Heart in the world. The TAH-t is available at 20 of the top transplant centers
in the United States and Europe.
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Media contact:
SynCardia Director of Communications
Donald Isaacs
Cell: 520-955-0660
About the CardioWest™ temporary Total Artificial
Heart
The CardioWest™ TAH‑t is a pneumatic, biventricular, implantable bridge-to-transplant
system for full cardiac replacement, taking the place of the failing heart in
patients at imminent risk of death. The device offers full circulatory support,
the shortest blood path and exposure to artificial surfaces, and the highest level
of cardiac output when compared with other artificial heart systems previously
tested. With the CardioWest™ TAH‑t, patients become better candidates for
eventual transplantation and have post-transplant survival rates equal to that
of non-device cardiac recipients.
About SynCardia Systems
Founded in 2001, SynCardia Systems is the developer of biomechanical cardiac replacement
and assist devices. Its CardioWest™ temporary Total Artificial Heart (TAH‑t)
is designed for severely ill patients with end-stage congestive heart failure.
The device serves as an in-hospital bridge-to-transplantation for patients at
imminent risk of death. SynCardia Systems is based in Tucson, Arizona and is on
the Web at http://www.syncardia.com.
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