Hi John, have you see the news release about TCA electrically powered Heart-mate? This must be the field testing stage for it since it isn't approved by anybody yet like the air-driven unit is:
WALTHAM, Mass., Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Thermo Cardiosystems Inc.
(AMEX: TCA) announced today that doctors at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical
Center in New York performed a successful heart transplant on Johnny Copeland
on January 1, 1997.
Mr. Copeland, a Grammy Award winning blues musician, was supported by
Thermo Cardiosystems' electric HeartMate. left ventricular-assist device for a
record-setting 607 days while he awaited a suitable donor heart.
"We developed HeartMate with the intent of saving lives and are very happy
to see its positive long-term results," said Victor L. Poirier, president and
chief executive officer of Thermo Cardiosystems.
Dr. Mehmet C. Oz, director of the mechanical circulatory assist program at
Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, added, "The average heart transplant
candidate waits 240 days for a donor organ, but high levels of antibodies in
Mr. Copeland's blood made him a difficult match. Without the support of the
HeartMate device, he would not have survived the wait."
Mr. Copeland was released from the hospital on January 17th and is
recovering at home.
Thermo Cardiosystems Inc. is a leader in the research, development, and
manufacture of implantable left ventricular-assist systems (LVAS). Its
HeartMate device, which is implanted alongside the natural heart, is designed
to take over the pumping function of the left ventricle for patients whose
hearts are too damaged or diseased to beat adequately on their own. The
company's air-driven LVAS is the only implantable heart-assist device approved
for commercial sale in the United States. Thermo Cardiosystems is a public
subsidiary of Thermedics Inc., a Thermo Electron company.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a
number of risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking
statements are set forth in Item 5 of the company's quarterly report on Form
10-Q for the quarter ended September 28, 1996. These include risks and
uncertainties relating to regulatory approvals, reimbursement by insurers,
medical community acceptance, technological change and competition,
intellectual property rights, availability of materials and components,
limited experience in commercializing products, and product liability.
SOURCE Thermo Cardiosystems Inc.
CONTACT: John N. Hatsopoulos of Thermo Electron, 617-622-1111
GOOD LUCK,
EDWIN K. |
