Man Facing Imminent Death Gets Artificial Heart

A disabled factory worker facing imminent death received a Jarvik-7 artificial heart Thursday night to keep him alive until a permanent donor heart is found.

Thomas Gaidosh, 47, of Sutersville, underwent six hours of surgery at Presbyterian-University Hospital, spokeswoman Mary Lou Michael said.

Gaidosh, with his new mechanical heart beating in his chest, was in critical condition, “considered normal for surgery like this,” hospital spokesman Tom Chakurda said.

The patient, described as a “mild-mannered man,” had been waiting for a heart transplant for about a month. He suffered from idiopathic cardiomyopathy, a disease in which heart function is greatly impaired, Chakurda said.

‘Would Have Been Dead’

“Death was imminent. He would have been dead,” Michael said. “The decision was based on the fact that the man’s life was being threatened.”

Dr. Bartley Griffith, a transplant surgeon with the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, led the surgical team, the hospital said.

Across the state at Hershey Medical Center, meanwhile, the first recipient of the artificial Penn State Heart was reported to be free of clots and bleeding, which doctors said was a positive development in his recovery.

Anthony Mandia, 44, of Philadelphia, remained in critical but stable condition as he completed his first week of life with the one-pound, air-driven pump, which is sustaining his life until a donor heart can be found.