SYDNEY Australia 13 October 2006: Ventracor (ASX:VCR) today reported the first case of recovery of a patient's heart allowing removal of the VentrAssist left ventricular assist device (LVAD) after providing support for over 12 months.
Professor Don Esmore, Head of the Heart and Lung Transplant Unit at The Alfred Hospital, said: "This case is unique as the cause of the heart failure was rare and the time the patient spent on the pump was considerable.
"This is absolutely the best outcome. It is much better than having a transplant as complications can arise due to the transplant and the immunosuppressant drugs the patient would have to take for the rest of life may have predisposed the patient to a relapse of the lymph node tumour previously suffered.
"This person no longer needs to be on the heart transplant waiting list which is an incredibly gratifying result," Professor Esmore said.
About Ventracor
Ventracor is a global medical device company which has developed a blood pump, the VentrAssist left ventricular assist device (LVAD) for patients in heart failure.