DANVERS, Mass. (AP) - An Abiocor artificial heart was implanted in a 12th patient as part of a clinical trial, the device's manufacturer said Wednesday.
The operation took place Feb. 20 at the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston, which has now implanted five of the devices. Neither the patient's identity nor any additional information was released.
Abiomed of Danvers, Mass., has gained worldwide attention for its trial of the Abiocor, a self-contained, implantable replacement heart. The softball-sized device is intended for patients with end-stage heart failure who have a 70 percent chance of dying within a month.
All the other recipients of the AbioCor heart have died since the first one was implanted in 2001. Recipients have lived an average of five months.
The company hopes to seek approval from federal regulators this year to sell the device.
