Turkish Man Becomes World’s Longest Supported SynCardia Total Artificial Heart Patient

Nurullah Balik, 61, has been enjoying life at home for more than 4.5
years using the Freedom® portable driver to power his Total Artificial
Heart.

TUCSON, Ariz.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#TotalArtificialHeart–A 61-year-old man who recently surpassed 1,700 days (4.6 years) of life
with the SynCardia
temporary Total Artificial Heart has become the longest supported
Total Artificial Heart patient in the world.

Nurullah Balik, a former professional soccer player, received
the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart on Aug. 12, 2012, at Ege
University Hospital in Izmir, Turkey. He has been enjoying life at home
since Sept. 26, 2012, using the Freedom®
portable driver to power his Total Artificial Heart.

Still waiting for a matching donor heart, Balik’s 4.6 years of support
is the longest bridge to a transplant with the Total Artificial Heart to
date.

“I am doing really well,” said Balik, who lives with his wife in the
town of Yatagan. “I can take care of myself, without any limitations. I
wear the driver on my shoulder. I go to the bazaar, the shopping mall…
My apartment is on the fourth floor, no elevators. I go up and down
every day without any problem.”

Balik’s heart problems first began in 2002 when he suffered a heart
attack and received several stents. Five years later, he was diagnosed
with congestive heart failure. As time went on, his condition continued
to deteriorate.

In May 2012, he was diagnosed with heart failure affecting both sides of
his heart (biventricular failure). In addition, three of his four heart
valves were leaking.

Balik says he became so weak, he couldn’t walk more than 2 meters (6
feet) or even pick up a dish from the table. In July 2012, he was
admitted to Ege University Hospital.

“This patient was in severe biventricular failure with valvular
insufficiency,” said Prof. Dr. Mustafa Ozbaran, head of the Transplant
and Assist Device Program. “The best option for our patient was the
SynCardia Total Artificial Heart.”

Just 44 days after his implant surgery, Balik was stable enough to leave
the hospital using the Freedom portable driver, setting a new record for
the fastest discharge of a Total Artificial Heart patient in Turkey.

“I’ve had no issues with the artificial heart and the driver,” said
Balik, who goes to the hospital for a routine check-up every four
months. “The artificial heart gave me a new life. What is most important
is to have good morale. People who need this device should not hesitate.
It is very good, they will benefit from it. But they should take care of
the device.”

Videos:

• Interview
  with Nurullah Balik (turn on Closed Captioning for English
  subtitles)
• Total
  Artificial Heart Patient Enjoys Life in His Neighborhood
• Total
  Artificial Heart Patient Takes Stairs to Fourth Floor Apartment Each
  Day

About SynCardia Systems, LLC

SynCardia Systems, LLC in Tucson, Ariz., is the privately-held
manufacturer of the world’s first and only FDA, Health Canada and CE
approved Total Artificial Heart. For people suffering from end-stage
heart failure affecting both sides of the heart (biventricular failure),
the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart is used as a bridge to
transplant, helping them survive until a matching donor heart becomes
available. SynCardia also manufactures the Freedom® portable driver,
which powers the SynCardia Total Artificial Heart and allows clinically
stable patients to be discharged from the hospital to enjoy life at home
while they wait for a heart transplant.

Follow SynCardia: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Google+

Contacts

SynCardia Systems, LLC
Janelle Drumwright, 520-547-7463
jdrumwright@syncardia.com