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| Clinic for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery |
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21st February 2005
New "CorAide" mini artificial heart system successfully implanted
Implantation of "CorAide", a new miniaturized cardiac support system, at the Heart and Diabetes Center NRW. The benefit: this new artificial heart adjusts its pumping action to the physical exertion of the patient.
CorAide Team at the Heart and Diabetes Center NRW, Bad Oeynhausen
Dr. Aly El-Banayosy, Prof. Reiner Körfer, Patient Werner Exner, Dr. Latif Arusoglu, Dr. Gero Tenderich (Photo: Anja Brandt) |
On Tuesday, 8th February 2005, Prof. Reiner Körfer, MD, Dr. h.c. (Medical Director of the Heart and Diabetes Center NRW) and his team of Senior Physicians, Dr. Latif Arusoglu, Dr. Aly El Banayosy and Dr. Gero Tenderich (Photo), implanted "CorAide", an electromagnetically suspended left-ventricular assist device. In a 4-hour operation, the small pump was connected to the left ventricle and the aorta of 64-year old patient Werner Exner in order to support the pumping action of his own, weak heart.
"Herr Exner coped with the surgery very well, and we are very satisfied with his progress since the intervention. Compared to his state of health prior to the operation, Herr Exner's condition has improved considerably. He now finds it easier to breathe and his overall condition is improving daily", said Professor Körfer with satisfaction. Today his patient managed to take a few first steps in his room.
The number of patients waiting for a heart transplantation is large – the number of donor hearts small
CorAide can help patients suffering from terminal insufficiency (incurable weakness of the heart muscle) and waiting for a heart transplantation. Last year only 385 hearts could be transplanted in Germany (81 of those at the Heart and Diabetes Center NRW), with the demand for donor hearts twice as high. Attention is thus increasingly focussing on miniaturized, high-performance pumps which can be implanted to bridge the wait to transplantation, and in the future could become a permanent solution. This system enables patients to be discharged home and once more lead their normal lives unaided.
New milestone in the development of the ventricular assist device
This left-ventricular assist device belongs to a new generation of magnetically suspended pumps. These systems are more or less completely insusceptible to wear and tear, and they consume little energy. Implantation is comparatively simple and less invasive. Unlike other artificial heart systems, CorAide adjusts itself to the blood requirements of the patient, i.e. it functions in the same way as a normal heart. When activity increases, e.g. when patients start walking or exerting themselves, the rotor increases its number of revolutions and the system ejects more blood into the circulatory system. At rest, blood flow lessens correspondingly. This kind of system means a higher quality of life for patients.
The CorAide system, manufactured by the American company Arrow International Inc., comprises a small, implantable pump (made of titanium) which assists natural blood flow by means of rotation. Inside the pump a magnetically suspended rotor accelerates the blood with approx. 2300-3000 rotations per minute. An external control unit monitors the system's performance and regulates the energy supply from rechargeable batteries or a charge device.
Better chances of survival using artificial hearts
Studies carreid out by the Heart and Diabetes Center NRW have shown that using artificial hearts to bridge the wait to transplantation improves both the underlying situation and the survival chances of patients before and after transplantation, due to a significantly improved perfusion of the organs.
In 1999, LionHeart, manufactured by Arrow International Inc. and the first fully implantable circulatory assist device, was implanted for the first time worldwide by Prof. Reiner Körfer MD and Senior Physicians Latif Arusoglu MD and Aly El-Banayosy MD. Another premiere followed in 2004, with the implantation of DuraHeart, a centrifugal left-ventricular assist device manufactured by Terumo. Since 1987 patients with end-stage cardiac insufficiency have been treated at the Heart and Diabetes Center NRW with various VAD systems (ventricular assist devices) and artificial hearts. Center specialists have already implanted around 800 systems, making them the experts with the highest level of competence and routine worldwide.
The new titanium pump CorAide: an external control unit monitors the system's performance and regulates the energy supply from rechargeable batteries or a charge device. |
Heart and Diabetes Center NRW
University Hospital of the Ruhr-University of Bochum
Press Office and PR
Anja Brandt M.A.
Georgstrasse 11, D-32545 Bad Oeynhausen
Tel: +49 5731 / 97 1955
Fax: +49 5731 / 97 2028
E-Mail:  abrandt@hdz-nrw.de
| Further information: |
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 Arrow International
Info mechanical circulatory support systems
Info Heart Center research on this topic
| Press photos for downloading |
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The following high-resolution images may be used for media publications.
Usage for any other purpose is strictly forbidden. We would be grateful if
you could forward us a specimen copy of any
published work or send us
an email to: info@hdz-nrw.de
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CorAide Team at the Heart and Diabetes Center NRW, Bad Oeynhausen
Dr. Aly El-Banayosy, Prof. Reiner Körfer, Patient Werner Exner, Dr. Latif Arusoglu, Dr. Gero Tenderich (Photo: Anja Brandt)
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CorAide (A)
The new titanium pump CorAide: an external control unit monitors the system\'s performance and regulates the energy supply from rechargeable batteries or a charge device.
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CorAide (B)
The new titanium pump CorAide: an external control unit monitors the system\'s performance and regulates the energy supply from rechargeable batteries or a charge device.
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CorAide (C)
The new titanium pump CorAide: an external control unit monitors the system\'s performance and regulates the energy supply from rechargeable batteries or a charge device.
Download (JPEG file - 251 KB) |
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