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Article: FDA approves artificial heart created by Tucson, Ariz., medical team.
- Article from:
- AZ Daily Star
- Article date:
- October 19, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 The Arizona Daily Star. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Jane Erikson
Oct. 19--The CardioWest artificial heart, developed by University Medical Center's artificial heart team and used in more than 300 patients worldwide, has become the first ever to win approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA approval means Medicare and other health plans in this country will begin covering the costs of implanting the device in dying patients and keeping them in the hospital until their artificial hearts can be swapped for human donor hearts.
And soon -- perhaps in less than two years -- the CardioWest will evolve into a "luggable" device that patients carry over their shoulders, allowing ...