SynCardia`s Total Artificial Heart Rescues LVAD Patient with Right Ventricular Failure

TUCSON, Ariz., Sept. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- SynCardia Systems, Inc. (www.syncardia.com), manufacturer of the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart, announced today that University Hospital of Nantes successfully transplanted 51-year-old Total Artificial Heart patient Louise Mouche after 177 days of support. Mrs. Mouche is a French gypsy who lives with a sedentary group of people approximately 40 km from Nantes.

"We first implanted Mrs. Mouche with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD)," said Prof. Daniel Duveau, Medical Director of the Thorax Institute at University Hospital of Nantes. "However, a few days later, we removed the LVAD because of right ventricular failure and implanted SynCardia's Total Artificial Heart."

Mrs. Mouche was implanted with SynCardia's Total Artificial Heart on Jan. 30, 2011. While supported by the Total Artificial Heart, she was able to exercise several times a day, riding the exercise bike regularly for 30 to 45 minutes at a time.

On April 24, 2011, Mrs. Mouche was switched to the Freedom^® portable driver, a wearable power supply for SynCardia's Total Artificial Heart. Three months later, on July 26, 2011, Mrs. Mouche received her matching donor heart. Post-transplant, she was extubated quickly and transferred out of the ICU 8 days later. One month after her transplant, Mrs. Mouche was discharged home with her new donor heart. Today, she is doing very well and participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program.

"SynCardia's Total Artificial Heart is a very good device with which we have had a lot of successful experiences," said Prof. Duveau. "It is easy to implant, easy to use and very powerful. The Total Artificial Heart is, in our practice, the best and most efficient device in cases of biventricular failure as reported in a non-randomized study in which we compared the Total Artificial Heart and external biventricular support."

University Hospital of Nantes has been implanting the Total Artificial Heart since 1988. The hospital has achieved a 75% bridge to transplant rate with the Total Artificial Heart. Five-year and 10-year survival rates after transplantation among this group of patients are 81% and 76% respectively.

SynCardia recognizes and thanks IST Cardiology, the French distributor for the Total Artificial Heart, for their commitment and on-going support of University Hospital of Nantes.

CAUTION – The Freedom^® portable driver is an investigational device, limited by United States law to investigational use.