Singapore-led HeartSpan.ai has achieved a significant milestone by facilitating Indonesia’s first successful implantation of the world’s smallest and lightest left ventricular assist device (LVAD). This was accomplished through a collaboration with Dr Cipto Mangunkusumo National Central General Hospital (RSCM) in Jakarta and Fuwai Hospital in Beijing. The procedure, completed on 1 August, marks the first successful use of the device in Southeast Asia, offering new hope to patients with advanced heart failure.
The initiative is part of HeartSpan.ai’s broader strategy to establish a regional model that integrates advanced medical technology with specialist expertise, structured clinical training, and a medical knowledge-sharing cloud. This model aims to enable hospitals across Southeast Asia to adopt advanced heart failure therapies effectively.
Dr Wei Siang Yu, Founder of HeartSpan.ai, emphasised the innovative nature of the project, stating, “We are creating an IP-led healthcare model that brings together medical technology, clinical protocols and procedures, specialist know-how, training, agentic AI and a medical knowledge-sharing cloud into one scalable platform.”
The successful implantation was performed on a 45-year-old woman with advanced heart failure, demonstrating the potential for hospitals to sustain such therapies independently. Dr Supriyanto Dharmoredjo, President Director of RSCM, highlighted the achievement’s significance, noting that it brings new hope to patients who previously had limited treatment options.
HeartSpan.ai’s initiative aligns with Singapore’s S$37b RIE2030 plan, which focuses on advancing biomedtech and translating research into practical healthcare solutions. As the company expands its model across the region, it aims to position Singapore as a hub for deploying healthcare technologies and clinical models.
