news article

Ventracor pumping after first implant of artificial heart



MELBOURNE

SHARES in medical technology developer Ventracor Ltd were pumping today, after an artificial heart developed by the company was implanted in a patient for the first time.

Ventracor shares were six cents or 4.3 per cent higher at $1.47 today, after going as high as $1.52, on a volume of about 6.5 million.

Ventracor and Melbourne's Alfred Hospital announced today that surgeons had performed the first implant of the VentrAssist device in a five-hour operation on June 28.

The patient was in a serious but stable condition.

The first operation is part of a pilot trial at The Alfred involving up to 10 patients.

The trial will evaluate the safety of the VentrAssist device.

Patients who are eligible for the pilot trial are very ill and not eligible for a heart transplant and are no longer responding to optimal medical therapy.