World's 5th Artificial Heart Implant Performed in Philadelphia

A patient at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia has become the world's fifth to receive the AbioCor self-contained artificial heart, the hospital announced.

The replacement heart implanted Monday was performing "flawlessly," though the unidentified patient was experiencing lung problems, according to Dr. Louis E. Samuels, associate professor at MCP Hahnemann University and director of the transplant team.

Hahnemann is one of five sites participating in the initial trial of the device, which was first implanted in patients at Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Ky., on July 2 and Sept. 13. A third was implanted Sept. 16 at Texas Heart Institute in Houston, and a fourth on Oct. 17 at UCLA Medical Center.

The FDA approved implanting the experimental device in five patients, all dying of heart failure and too sick to qualify for human heart transplants.

The first AbioCor patient, Robert Tools, has made a remarkable recovery and doctors have said he could be discharged from the hospital by Christmas.

The second patient, Tom Christerson, 70, of Central City, Ky., has suffered setbacks, and doctors said he was returned to a ventilator last week.

Little information has been released about the two other patient.