2nd Such Device to Be Licensed : ‘Penn State Heart’ Implanted 1st Time

Doctors at Hershey Medical Center today implanted a temporary artificial heart into a gravely ill Philadelphia man in the first use of the “Penn State heart,” the second such device to be licensed for implant in the United States.

Anthony Mandia, 44, was wheeled from his room at 4:30 a.m. and underwent the surgery 1 1/2 hours later, becoming the 10th person to undergo an artificial heart implant. The surgery was completed 4 hours and 40 minutes later.

Mandia was listed in critical but stable condition, which is routine for heart transplant and implant patients. The artificial heart is to remain in place a few days or weeks at most until a donor heart can be found.

“As of this point, it’s a success because Mr. Mandia is alive,” said Dr. John Burnside, associate dean of Pennsylvania State University’s Hershey Medical Center. “(Without) some urgent intervention, Mr. Mandia probably would not have survived 24 hours.”

The surgery to replace Mandia’s failing heart was performed by the inventor of the Penn State heart, Dr. William Pierce of Hershey Medical Center. (The center was founded 20 years ago with $50 million from the Hershey Foundation set up by the chocolate maker.)

The Penn State heart was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in March and joins the Jarvik-7 as the only artificial hearts approved for implants.

Four of the six patients who received the Jarvik-7 suffered strokes, apparently resulting from blood clots that formed in the mechanical device. The Penn State heart is designed with seam-free inter-surfaces in hopes of minimizing the risk of blood clots.