The patient, from the Madison area, is in stable condition today. He received his Cardio West temporary total artificial heart (TAH-t) implant earlier this month. He had been critically ill suffering from
end-stage heart failure. This TAH-t replaces his damaged heart while he waits for a donor heart to become available for transplant.

According to Dr. Tector, "The TAH-t is a modern version of the
Jarvik-7 Artificial Heart of the 1980's. Survival rates have increased
dramatically because of major therapeutic advancements to reduce the risk of strokes and internal bleeding." Tector had implanted 10 Jarvik-7 Artificial Hearts, the last in 1997. He is the Medical Director of the Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center Transplant Program.

Aurora St. Luke's is one of just 5 hospitals in the U.S. and 13 worldwide certified to implant the TAH-t.

More than 300,000 Americans die every year from heart failure, many waiting for a heart transplant. "As one of the national leaders in heart care and transplantation we are very proud to have been among the first to introduce this new technology to our patients," said Tector.

Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit Wisconsin health care provider and a nationally recognized leader in efforts to improve the quality of health care. Aurora offers services at sites in more than 90 communities throughout eastern Wisconsin.

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Contact: Steve Pinzer (414-649-6419)