News Releases
JEWISH HOSPITAL/UNIVERSITY OF
LOUISVILLE TEAM IMPLANTS ABIOCOR
(LOUISVILLE)
A patient received an AbioCor® Implantable Replacement Heart through the
efforts of a Jewish Hospital/University of Louisville team led by surgeons
Laman Gray, M.D., and Rob Dowling, M.D. The procedure took place May 3, 2004,
and lasted about 7 hours. The patient is currently in critical but stable condition.
At the request of the patient’s family, the patient’s name and
other details are not being released.
Jewish Hospital officials and the physicians who performed the
procedure will not be available for further comment at this time.
Updates will be provided
as significant changes in the patient’s condition occur and at the request
of the family.
This the sixth Jewish Hospital patient
to be implanted with an AbioCor heart and the 13th person in the
United States to receive
an implant.
The experimental procedure is the result of some
20 years of product research and development by ABIOMED, Inc.,
of Danvers, Mass. Jewish Hospital and University
of Louisville surgeons Gray and Dowling began working with the company
about five years ago. During the years leading up to the human
implants, the device
was validated in FDA approved animal trials. A team of nurses, perfusionists,
physician assistants, anesthesiologists and other support staff also worked
in the development of the device to learn how to care for patients.
Patients who are eligible to receive an AbioCor
device have a high probability of dying within 30 days without
the device. They are not candidates for
other treatments, such as a heart transplants.
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