Orthotopic cardiac prosthesis for two-staged cardiac replacement.

The first total artificial heart implant, performed by Colley using a device developed by Liotta on April 4, 1969. The device, known as the Liotta-Cooley artificial heart, was implanted in a 47-year-old patient with severe heart failure. The artificial heart supported the patient for 64 hours until a donor heart was found for transplantation. This experience showed that patients could be "bridged" to transplantation.