A 65-year-old man with end-stae heart failure who was the first in the United States to receive an implanted heart assist pump has died after five months from complications related to gastrointestinal bleeding.

Surgeons at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania on March 1 had implanted the Arrow LionHeart™ left ventricular assist system [LVAS] in for the first time in the United States in a Edmond Dzurishin.

The totally implanted system -- powered by battery that is recharged by drawing energy across intact skin from an external battery pack -- is intended as final therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure who are not candidates for heart transplantation.

''Ed truly was a fighter and survived many setbacks that, without this device, would have brought death. The team is truly saddened by his passing,'' said Dr. Walter Pae, who led the team of surgeons who implanted the heart device.

Six patients in the United States and 13 in Europe have received the device so far in clinical trials, according to Arrow International.

Other Sources: Milton S. Hershey Medical Center