Recipient of Two Artificial Hearts Dies

The only person to receive two artificial hearts died Saturday as doctors tried to implant a second human heart since her series of transplants began in February, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Bernadette Chayrez, 40, died about seven hours into surgery when the donor heart failed, said Jan Rooney, a spokeswoman for University Medical Center.

Chayrez, a Phoenix mother of three, received her first implant on Feb. 3 and was given a human transplant four days later. But her body rejected the human heart and a second plastic and metal pump was implanted on Feb. 9.

“She was in a downhill spiral that was going to end ultimately with her demise,” said Dr. Jack Copeland, head of the transplant team. “We thought we had a small chance for success.”

Doctors removed the mini-Jarvik 70 mechanical heart from Chayrez’s chest and began the transplant almost four hours after the operation began.

“The heart of the donor appeared to be excellent,” Copeland said.

But after about 2 1/2 hours, Copeland said, the heart began to change color and size. He said the problem could have been caused by infection or by Chayrez’s immune system rejecting the heart.