Hospital officials have said that a 13-member surgical team at Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center in Houston is training to implant an artificial heart.

The team completed its first phase of certification training to implant the SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart, says Dr. Matthias Loebe, surgical director of the heart & lung transplant program.

Loebe said in a statement, "Our hospital currently offers 10 different mechanical circulatory support devices for heart failure patients, but there is only one approved Total Artificial Heart. It is the only device that allows us to replace both the left and right failing heart ventricles. The Total Artificial Heart will allow us to bridge patients to transplant who would've otherwise been out of treatment options."

The Total Artificial Heart is approved as a bridge to human heart transplant for people dying from end-stage biventricular failure. It is the only device that provides immediate, safe blood flow through both ventricles.

Officials of SynCardia have said that there have been more than 850 implants of the Total Artificial Heart. (With Inputs from Agencies)