Dr. Jack Copeland Receives National Award for Work with Heart Devices

June 20, 2001
From: Pila Martinez, (520) 626-4083
Jack G. Copeland III, MD, is the recipient of the 2001 Barney Clark Award, a recognition of his success in the use of artificial hearts and heart-assist devices. The award commends Dr. Copeland for "interjecting science into the process, and for leadership in moving the TAH (total artificial heart) from failure to highly successful clinical applications."

Under the leadership of Dr. Copeland, chief of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery and co-director of the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center, University Medical Center in 1985 marked the first use in the world of a total artificial heart, the "Phoenix Heart," as a "bridge to transplant."

Dr. Copeland went on to help develop the CardioWest Total Artificial Heart, which has been used as a bridge to transplant in more than 175 patients worldwide since its first use in 1983. The device currently is undergoing approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

The CardioWest heart is the direct descendant of the Jarvik heart, which was developed at the University of Utah. It was implanted in Barney Clark in 1982 as a permanent replacement for his own heart. He survived on the device for 112 days.

Other highlights in Dr. Copeland's use of heart devices:

  • In 1998, UMC implanted a Thoratec heart-assist device on the smallest person (a 37-pound boy) ever to receive one.
  • On May 24, 2000, A 7-year-old UMC patient became the first patient in the United States to receive a "Berlin Heart" assist device.
  • On May 30, 2001, a team led by Dr. Copeland implanted the Arrow LionHeart(tm) mechanical heart assist device in a Sun Lakes, Ariz., man, marking the fifth use of the heart in the United States.

    Dr. Copeland received the award, presented by the Medforte Research Foundation in conjunction with the Utah Artificial Heart Institute, at the annual conference of the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs, held in New York earlier this month.

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