Please note that we are seeing high patient volumes in the emergency department. Learn more >>.

Know before you go to the ER
Select the search type
  • Site
  • Web
Go

Total Artificial Heart

The Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Transplant Center team includes some of the nation’s top experts in heart surgery. We offer patients leading treatments such as permanent and temporary artificial heart devices to give them a better quality of life.

Learn more about artificial heart devices.

What Is a Total Artificial Heart?

Our cardiac surgeons implant the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart (TAH-t) as a bridge to transplantation in specific heart transplant candidates. After the transplant, the patient continues to work with a post-transplant coordinator.

The SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart (SynCardia TAH-t) offers several benefits to patients waiting for transplant:

  • The SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart (SynCardia TAH-t) is an improved version of the Jarvik-7 Artificial Heart, which was first implanted in 1982. This unique technology allows us to treat patients who would not survive without full circulatory support.
  • It completely replaces the patient's diseased heart with a goal of restoring normal blood pressure, increasing cardiac output and giving organs such as the kidney and liver a chance to recover. As a result, patients become better candidates for transplantation.
  • When a donor’s heart becomes available, the artificial heart is removed, and the transplanted heart replaces it.

Artificial Heart Options Available at Barnes-Jewish Hospital

Our specialists offer different therapeutic approaches for patients who require long-term mechanical circulatory support:

  • SynCardia Total Artificial Heart as a bridge to transplant: The SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart can be used as a bridge to heart transplant for patients who are facing death due to biventricular failure.
  • HeartMate II as destination therapy: The HeartMate II left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and the HeartWare HVAD can be used as destination therapy for patients who have advanced heart failure, but who are not eligible to receive a heart transplant. Learn more about LVADs.

Contact Us

For more information about the heart transplant program at the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Transplant Center, call 855.925.0631.