Summary of the world experience with clinical use of total artificial hearts as heart support devices.

A review of the world experience with the implantation of total artificial hearts has been carried out. Thirteen centers throughout the world have implanted 27 total artificial hearts in 26 patients. Eight different types of total artificial hearts have been employed. As of June 1, 1986, five of these individuals have had implants for permanent support. Of the other twenty-one patients, three patients died while on a total artificial heart, seven patients died following transplantation, two patients are waiting for transplant, and nine patients have successfully been transplanted and are presently alive. Various clinical preoperative and postoperative parameters are analyzed in this investigation.