Texas Heart Institute and MicroMed Cardiovascular Announce Achievement of World Record of an Animal Supported by an Electronic Total Artificial Heart

HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwire - December 01, 2011) - Texas Heart Institute and MicroMed Cardiovascular, Inc. announced today, during the opening of the 6th Annual European Mechanical Circulatory Support Summit in Paris, a new record has been established for an animal supported by an Electronic, Continuous Flow, Total Artificial Heart. A calf was successfully supported for 91 days by two modified HeartAssist 5® Continuous Flow LVADs, manufactured by MicroMed Cardiovascular, Inc. of Houston, TX, USA, under a special NIH Research Grant to advance Total Artificial Heart Technology. This achievement broke the previous record for continuous flow total artificial heart animal support of 60 days, also at Texas Heart Institute, and using two modified HeartAssist 5® LVADS earlier this year.

Dr. Bud Frazier, together with Dr. Billy Cohn of the Center for Cardiac Support at Texas Heart Institute, commented, "The Study Protocol defines success at 60 days but this calf did so well we modified the protocol to extend the protocol to 90 days and are very pleased with the results." David Mackstaller, CEO for MicroMed Cardiovascular, Inc., commented, "We have worked with Texas Heart Institute for many years and we are excited to have contributed to this important milestone. We remain firmly committed to advancements in mechanical support to ultimately make a difference in restoring the lives of patients suffering from heart failure around the world."