1st Penn State Heart Patient Dies; Doctors Cite Infection

Anthony Mandia, the first recipient of the Penn State temporary artificial heart, died Thursday after 18 days of life with a human donor heart.

Mandia, 44, died at 2:35 p.m. from “organ system failure secondary to overwhelming infection,” said Carl Andrews, spokesman for Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Andrews, in a telephone interview, said no additional information would be released before a news conference today.

Oct. 28 Transplant

Mandia, a Philadelphia bachelor, had been in critical condition since receiving the Penn State heart Oct. 18 to replace his own failing heart, doctors had said. Mandia survived 11 days on the one pound, air-driven pump until a donor heart was found and transplanted Oct. 28.

Several days later, though, he developed an inflamed pancreas and kidney problems, and his condition was downgraded to unstable.

Mandia responded to treatment, became stable, but a week ago again became unstable as doctors battled infection. He underwent additional surgery to drain an abscess near his new heart and continued on kidney dialysis.

Anti-Rejection Drugs

The Penn State heart, developed by Dr. William Pierce at the Hershey Medical Center, is only designed to be used as a bridge until donor hearts can be found. As is the case with all such heart patients, Mandia had been on drugs to reduce his body’s ability to reject the new organ.

While on the Penn State heart, Mandia escaped the blood clotting problem that has threatened other artificial heart recipients. Pierce said a seamless inner blood sac and all-plastic valves were designed to minimize the clotting problem.

Two days after receiving the artificial heart, Mandia survived a brief episode of thickened speech. Doctors later said the event may have been related to a gunshot wound to the head Mandia had suffered years ago. Mandia had been on an anti-seizure medicine before the artificial heart surgery and the level of the drug may have fallen too low, doctors said.