World Heart announces first human implant of rotary VAD

By Elaine Rigoli

Tampa, Fla., March 14 - World Heart Corp., which develops mechanical circulatory support systems, announced Tuesday that the first human implant of its rotary ventricular assist device (VAD) took place on March 8 at St. Luke's Hospital in Thessaloniki, Greece.

The company said this marks the start of the feasibility clinical trial for the rotary VAD.

A surgical team successfully implanted the device into a 67-year-old man with advanced congestive heart failure as part of an operation that included heart-valve repair as well as a coronary artery bypass graft, according to a company news release.

"Our surgical and clinical team is extremely pleased to perform the first implant of this unique new device," said Antonis Pitsis, cardiac surgeon and director of the Thessaloniki Heart Institute and principal clinical investigator of the feasibility trial, in a statement.

World Heart is an Oakland, Calif., technology developer of mechanical circulatory support systems.

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