Europe and the United States represent a significant proportion...

Europe and the United States represent a significant proportion of the market for congestive heart failure therapy.

Ventracor’s primary focus is to deliver the VentrAssist™ to the global market.

Analysts value the potential of this market at between US$7.5 and US$12 billion annually.

Small, reliable, energy efficient and long lasting — these are the characteristics that make Ventracor's new VentrAssist™ artificial heart so much better. The VentrAssist™ is the latest generation of implantable heart devices known as a left ventricular assist system (LVAS). It has only one moving part - a hydrodynamically suspended impeller. The VentrAssist™ weighs just 298 g and is made of titanium. It is less than 60 mm in diameter and is suitable for use in children and adults.

The VentrAssist™ artificial heart is a project involving a number of different Australian researchers. Staff at the School of Engineering at the University of Technology Sydney are partners in developing the rare-earth magnet motor, the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, UNSW is helping to analyse the flow of fluid in the device and measuring blood damage. The University of Sydney is evaluating different coatings for blood compatibility.

Having successfully implanted the VentrAssist™ into animals, Ventracor is currently conducting clinical trials at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. Eight patients have so far been implanted as part of an Australian pilot trial to test the safety of the device in up to ten patients with CHF.

How does it work?
The VentrAssist™ artificial heart is a unique blood pumping system designed to provide support for a weakened heart. The patient's natural heart remains in place while the artificial heart takes over as much of the pumping as required for daily activities.

The VentrAssist™ artificial heart is based on a rotary pump design. A distinctive method is used to suspend the rotor, without conventional bearings, shafts or seals. This increases reliability and greatly reduces the chance of blood damage and clotting. There is only one moving part and this is made from a titanium alloy which is safe for use inside people. A battery and controller are worn externally.

The future
This type of artificial heart could well be a long-term alternative to a transplant. Recent research has shown that normal cardiac function will sometimes return permanently to a heart if it is given the opportunity to rest and recover. The VentrAssist™ artificial heart can be used to retain lifestyle while a heart is recovering, and the device can be removed once the heart is recovered. This is the ideal situation since the patient can return to normal life and will not require care on a long term basis.


Further info, facts and fun
Recovery of a heart occurs in up to 40% of patients when their heart is rested.
The VentrAssist™ artificial heart was tested for function under difficult situations using the Earthquake machine at Questacon — The National Science and Technology Centre.
Heart rates vary greatly. Elite athletes with large hearts can have extremely low pulse rates, as low as 25 beats per minute when resting. Very high pulse rates are recorded in extreme situations of activity and stress, even over 200 beats per minute.
Try taking your own pulse rate as you do different activities, but be careful, don't over

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