Biography
Wieselthaler, a native of Austria, earned a medical degree at the University of Vienna, where he completed a residency and surgical training. He also completed advanced training in transplantation at the Vienna heart transplant and lung transplant programs.
Wieselthaler has been involved in the development of ventricular assist pumps and a total artificial heart. He has trained surgeons worldwide in implantation techniques and the use of VADs, and he has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals.
Wieselthaler is a member of many national and international medical societies. He is president-elect of the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps. He is on the board of the European Society for Artificial Organs and former president of the Austrian Society for Implantology and Tissue Integrated Prosthesis. In April 2011, he was named director of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation.
Read a Q&A with Wieselthaler.
Education
| Institution | Degree | Dept or School | End Date | 
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California | Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training | 2018 | |
| University of Vienna | M.D. | School of Medicine | 1987 | 
Clinical Expertise
Acute Aortic Dissection Repair
Aortic Valve Repair & Replacement
Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass (OBCAB)
Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG)
End Stage Heart Failure
Heart Transplantation
Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery
Mitral Valve Repair & Replacement
Myocardial Revascularization Surgery
Thoracic Aneurysm Repair
Thoracic Aortic Reconstruction
Ventricular Aneurysm
Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD)
Arrhythmia
Program Affiliations
UCSF Heart & Vascular Center
In the News
Research Narrative
In 1984, while still in medical school, Dr. Wieselthaler became involved in the Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Program at the University of Vienna and began working in the Biomedical Laboratory on the development of the driving unit for the "New Vienna Total Artificial Heart (TAH)". After graduation, Dr. Wieselthaler became aware of the advantages of rotary blood pumps and organized the world´s the first "International Workshop(s) on Rotary Blood Pumps" in the years 1988 and 1991 in Austria. Out of these meetings, the International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps was founded in 1992 with Dr. Wieselthaler acting as Secretary General for the organization for many years.
Dr. Wieselthaler and colleague Dr. Heinrich Schima, a biomedical engineer, then investigated and developed miniaturized centrifugal pumps over15 years in the Biomedical Laboratories of the University of Vienna. Dr. Wieselthaler thereafter became primary surgeon at the Medical University of Vienna where implanted various types of VAD systems and supervised patient care. He developed extensive expertise with pulsatile systems like Novacor LVAS and has had one of the longest supported patients on the device (over 4 1/2 years). He also developed the Thoratec paracorporeal and implantable VADs. One of his patients was supported more than 3 years on the world´s first full implantable VAD in the Arrow LionHeart CUPS Trial.
In 1998, Dr. Wieselthaler implanted the world's first implantable, miniaturized axial flow pumps, the MicroMed-DeBakey VAD and he has since implanted more than 80 patients with this device. Many of Dr. Wieselthaler´s leading scientific papers originated his early experience with the world´s first nonpulsatile pump, articles still cited by colleagues. Dr. Wieselthaler also served as Principal Investigator and implanted the world´s first implantable, magnetically suspended centrifugal left ventricular assist device (LVAD), the "TERUMO DuraHeart LVAD".
In 2003, Dr. Wieselthaler joined a HeartWare Inc, Miramar, FL as a consultant and over the next three years, played a key role in the development the HeartWare HVAD, a miniaturized hydromagnatically levitated centrifugal pump. and in 2006, he implanted the world's first patients with this system.
Dr. Wieselthaler continued working with HeartWare on the next generation LVAD, known as the "Miniaturised Ventricular Assist Device (MVAD)", leading to two patent applications in his name for the technology: 1) a minimally invasive implantation technique of the MVAD, and 2) a special shaped inflow cannula tip for the MVAD.
Research Interests
Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD)
Publications
- Development of a Flexible Sensor-Integrated Tissue Patch to Monitor Early Organ Rejection Processes Using Impedance Spectroscopy.| | PubMed PubMed
- Late Right Heart Failure After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation: Contemporary Insights and Future Perspectives.| | PubMed PubMed
- Left ventricular thrombus with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: Novel technique of bronchoscope-guided thrombus retrieval.| | PubMed PubMed
- Time in Therapeutic Range Significantly Impacts Survival and Adverse Events in Destination Therapy Patients.| | PubMed PubMed
- Two-Year Follow Up of the LATERAL Clinical Trial: A Focus on Adverse Events.| | PubMed PubMed
- Cost of Thoracotomy Approach: An Analysis of the LATERAL Trial.| | PubMed PubMed
- Detecting Suspected Pump Thrombosis in Left Ventricular Assist Devices via Acoustic Analysis.| | PubMed PubMed
- Evaluation of a lateral thoracotomy implant approach for a centrifugal-flow left ventricular assist device: The LATERAL clinical trial.| | PubMed PubMed
- Feasibility and utility of intraoperative epicardial scar characterization during left ventricular assist device implantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- Cast of the Right Bronchial Tree.| | PubMed PubMed
- Giant right coronary artery aneurysm presenting as cardiac tamponade.| | PubMed PubMed
- Intraoperative identification and treatment of a giant right coronary artery aneurysm.| | PubMed PubMed
- Response by Andreas et al to Letter Regarding Article, "Increased Thromboembolic Events With Dabigatran Compared With Vitamin K Antagonism in Left Ventricular Assist Device Patients: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial".| | PubMed PubMed
- An ISHLT consensus document for prevention and management strategies for mechanical circulatory support infection.| | PubMed PubMed
- Increased Thromboembolic Events With Dabigatran Compared With Vitamin K Antagonism in Left Ventricular Assist Device Patients: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial.| | PubMed PubMed
- Antithrombotic therapy for left ventricular assist devices in adults: a systematic review.| | PubMed PubMed
- Ventricular assist devices for treatment of acute heart failure and chronic heart failure.| | PubMed PubMed
- Welcome to ISRBP 2014.| | PubMed PubMed
- Lack of donor and recipient age interaction in cardiac transplantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- Results of the post-market Registry to Evaluate the HeartWare Left Ventricular Assist System (ReVOLVE).| | PubMed PubMed
- Extended in vivo evaluation of a miniaturized axial flow pump with a novel inflow cannula for a minimal invasive implantation procedure.| | PubMed PubMed
- Low-molecular-weight heparin for anti-coagulation after left ventricular assist device implantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- Low-level-laser irradiation induces photorelaxation in coronary arteries and overcomes vasospasm of internal thoracic arteries.| | PubMed PubMed
- Development of a pump flow estimator for rotary blood pumps to enhance monitoring of ventricular function.| | PubMed PubMed
- Cardiogenic shock in ACS. Part 2: Role of mechanical circulatory support.| | PubMed PubMed
- Evaluation of left ventricular relaxation in rotary blood pump recipients using the pump flow waveform: a simulation study.| | PubMed PubMed
- Intuitive use and usability of ventricular assist device peripheral components in simulated emergency conditions.| | PubMed PubMed
- Aortitis requiring aortic repair associated with glaucoma, thyroiditis, glaucoma, and neuropathy: case report.| | PubMed PubMed
- Multicenter evaluation of an intrapericardial left ventricular assist system.| | PubMed PubMed
- Pulmonary embolism in a patient with a biventricular assist device--imaging with multislice computed tomography.| | PubMed PubMed
- Initial clinical experience with a novel left ventricular assist device with a magnetically levitated rotor in a multi-institutional trial.| | PubMed PubMed
- Clinical review: practical recommendations on the management of perioperative heart failure in cardiac surgery.| | PubMed PubMed
- Continuous assessment of cardiac function during rotary blood pump support: a contractility index derived from pump flow.| | PubMed PubMed
- Usability and safety of ventricular assist devices: human factors and design aspects.| | PubMed PubMed
- Age and outcome after continuous-flow left ventricular assist device implantation as bridge to transplantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- Renal function and outcome after continuous flow left ventricular assist device implantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- European experience of DuraHeart magnetically levitated centrifugal left ventricular assist system.| | PubMed PubMed
- Coronary hemodynamics and myocardial oxygen consumption during support with rotary blood pumps.| | PubMed PubMed
- Platelet dysfunction in outpatients with left ventricular assist devices.| | PubMed PubMed
- Low molecular weight heparin as an alternative to unfractionated heparin in the immediate postoperative period after left ventricular assist device implantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- Programmed cell death in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy is mediated by suppression of the apoptosis inhibitor Apollon.| | PubMed PubMed
- Renal function after implantation of continuous versus pulsatile flow left ventricular assist devices.| | PubMed PubMed
- Donor myocardial HIF-1alpha is an independent predictor of cardiac allograft dysfunction: a 7-year prospective, exploratory study.| | PubMed PubMed
- Suction events during left ventricular support and ventricular arrhythmias.| | PubMed PubMed
- Choroidal microcirculation in patients with rotary cardiac assist device.| | PubMed PubMed
- Left ventricular pressure-volume loop analysis during continuous cardiac assist in acute animal trials.| | PubMed PubMed
- Mechanical circulatory support as a bridge to heart transplantation: what remains? Long-term emotional sequelae in patients and spouses.| | PubMed PubMed
- Left ventricular assist devices decrease fixed pulmonary hypertension in cardiac transplant candidates.| | PubMed PubMed
- Post-transplant survival after lowering fixed pulmonary hypertension using left ventricular assist devices.| | PubMed PubMed
- Endocrine function is not impaired in patients with a continuous MicroMed-DeBakey axial flow pump.| | PubMed PubMed
- Recent trends in heart transplantation: the University of Vienna experience.| | PubMed PubMed
- The DuraHeart VAD, a magnetically levitated centrifugal pump: the University of Vienna bridge-to-transplant experience.| | PubMed PubMed
- Advanced suction detection for an axial flow pump.| | PubMed PubMed
- First clinical experience with an automatic control system for rotary blood pumps during ergometry and right-heart catheterization.| | PubMed PubMed
- Neurocognitive function in patients with ventricular assist devices: a comparison of pulsatile and continuous blood flow devices.| | PubMed PubMed
- Development of a reliable automatic speed control system for rotary blood pumps.| | PubMed PubMed
- Remember - treat the patient not the ECG!| | PubMed PubMed
- Physiology of continuous blood flow in recipients of rotary cardiac assist devices.| | PubMed PubMed
- Posttraumatic stress disorder after implantation of a mechanical assist device followed by heart transplantation: evaluation of patients and partners.| | PubMed PubMed
- Clinical results with an ePTFE inflow conduit for mechanical circulatory support.| | PubMed PubMed
- Emergency reinforcement of cracked paracorporeal blood pumps.| | PubMed PubMed
- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is superior to right ventricular assist device for acute right ventricular failure after heart transplantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- Pre-emptive treatment with oral valganciclovir in management of CMV infection after cardiac transplantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- Extensive coagulation monitoring in patients after implantation of the MicroMed Debakey continuous flow axial pump.| | PubMed PubMed
- Development of a suction detection system for axial blood pumps.| | PubMed PubMed
- Weaning of rotary blood pump recipients after myocardial recovery: a computer study of changes in cardiac energetics.| | PubMed PubMed
- Automatic system for noninvasive blood pressure determination in rotary pump recipients.| | PubMed PubMed
- Quantitative analysis of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) expression in arteries and hearts of patients with ischaemic or dilated cardiomyopathy.| | PubMed PubMed
- Special considerations on the implantation technique for the MicroMed-DeBakey ventricular assist device axial pump.| | PubMed PubMed
- A retrospective analysis of extracorporel membrane oxygenation versus right ventricular assist device in acute great failure after heart transplantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- Rapamycin as rescue therapy in a patient supported by biventricular assist device to heart transplantation with consecutive ongoing rejection.| | PubMed PubMed
- The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is highly expressed in human heart ventricles.| | PubMed PubMed
- Cognitive deficit after aortic valve replacement.| | PubMed PubMed
- Interaction of the cardiovascular system with an implanted rotary assist device: simulation study with a refined computer model.| | PubMed PubMed
- Transitory immunologic response after implantation of the DeBakey VAD continuous-axial-flow pump.| | PubMed PubMed
- The University of Vienna experience in heart transplantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- Lessons learned from the first clinical implants of the DeBakey ventricular assist device axial pump: a single center report.| | PubMed PubMed
- Beta-blocker therapy reduces mortality on the waiting list for cardiac transplantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- Survival benefit of the implantable cardioverter/defibrillator in patients listed for cardiac transplantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- First clinical experience with the DeBakey VAD continuous-axial-flow pump for bridge to transplantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- [The DeBakey VAD axial flow pump: first clinical experience with a new generation of implantable, nonpulsatile blood pumps for long-term support prior to transplantation].| | PubMed PubMed
- Improved graft function using a new myocardial preservation solution: Celsior. Preliminary data from a randomized prospective study.| | PubMed PubMed
- Noninvasive monitoring of peak filling rate with acoustic quantification echocardiography accurately detects acute cardiac allograft rejection.| | PubMed PubMed
- Post-transplant acute myeloid leukemia (PT-AML).| | PubMed PubMed
- High turnover bone disease following lung transplantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- Aerobic endurance training program improves exercise performance in lung transplant recipients.| | PubMed PubMed
- Bilateral lung transplantation for pulmonary hypertension.| | PubMed PubMed
- Downsizing of the donor lung: peripheral segmental resections and lobar transplantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- Flow measurement at the pump head of centrifugal pumps: comparison of ultrasonic transit time and ultrasonic Doppler systems.| | PubMed PubMed
- Pharmacologically induced heart failure for the evaluation of circulatory assistance.| | PubMed PubMed
- Pharmacologically Induced Heart Failure for the Evaluation of Circulatory Assistance.| | PubMed PubMed
- Anemia and erythropoietin levels in lung transplant recipients.| | PubMed PubMed
- Thromboembolism associated with junctional escape rhythm and atrial standstill after orthotopic heart transplantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- The impact of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators on mortality among patients on the waiting list for heart transplantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- A clinical monitoring system for centrifugal blood pumps.| | PubMed PubMed
- An implantable seal-less centrifugal pump with integrated double-disk motor.| | PubMed PubMed
- Mechanically induced blood trauma: are the relevant questions already solved, or is it still an important field to be investigated?| | PubMed PubMed
- ICD therapy in survivors of sudden cardiac death awaiting heart transplantation.| | PubMed PubMed
- [Strategies in management of heart transplantation candidates with tachycardic ventricular arrhythmia anamnesis].| | PubMed PubMed
- The Vienna implantable centrifugal blood pump.| | PubMed PubMed
- Effect of lung transplantation on diaphragmatic function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.| | PubMed PubMed
- [Cytomegalovirus infection following lung transplantation].| | PubMed PubMed
- Diminished release of atrial natriuretic factor in calves with a total artificial heart.| | PubMed PubMed
- [A measuring device for calculating electrical impedance of the heart in clinical conditions].| | PubMed PubMed
- Noninvasive monitoring of rotary blood pumps: necessity, possibilities, and limitations.| | PubMed PubMed
- Action of endogenous atrial natriuretic peptide in calves with experimental acute central venous congestion and low cardiac output.| | PubMed PubMed
- Atrial natriuretic factor production and secretion during clinical total artificial heart-bridge-to-transplantation.| | PubMed PubMed
 
     
