02-16-2013, 09:08 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-16-2013, 09:56 PM by Administrator.)
Scientists are developing new strategies and methods every day to master key forces that humankind knows, which should fundamentally change our relationship to the previously unchangeable natural processes: treatment, aging, regeneration and dying.
With heart disease being the number one cause of death in the U.S., many people with heart disease die before heart donations become available to them. Thus, a huge demand exists to develop a fully functioning artificial heart.
Because of the small number of organ donors with intact hearth and long waiting times for surgery, the first successful transplantation or installation of "temporary artificial heart" was performed. Experts see this venture as a great improvement, and as an opportunity to help patients with many types of heart diseases waiting for regular heart transplantation.
The artificial heart is a prosthetic device implanted into the human body in order to replace biological heart. There are many types of artificial heart, of which the most important are two: TAH – Total Artificial Heart (completely replaces human heart) and CAD – Cardiac Assist Device (helps the function of biological heart).
The First Case
In Cambridge, at Papworth Hospital, forty-year old Matthew Green became the first person in the UK to receive a new type of "temporary artificial heart," according to the new methods and procedures. The first heart transplant in the United Kingdom was also performed in this hospital in 1979.
Mr. Matthew Green has had serious issues with his heart (diseased heart muscle of the right ventricle) that lead to arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat), possible heart failure and sudden death. After the operation, which lasted 6 hours, he was provided with mechanical heart and he was ready to go home very soon.
Technology of Artificial Heart Implantation
Mechanical artificial heart which was implanted to Mr. Green is used in cases where the patient has serious problems with his heart, and there are no possibilities to get new heart from a human donor for a long time.
The device replaces the work of heart chambers and heart valves, and allows normal circulation of blood in the patient’s body.
The device is not yet so perfect and small enough to easily replace the heart. It requires an external power source that weighs about 6 pounds and must be carried in backpacks or bags over the shoulders. This device is still much better than the previous version which required fixed (stable) power source from the electric net or from a large battery, so the patient had to stay in hospital.
The Operation
A team of doctors who performed the operation-transplantation had a special training before this surgery, in order to safely manage the whole operation.
After the operation, Mr. Steven Tsui, consultant cardiac surgeon and director of the transplant department of this hospital, said:
"At any time, at our hospital, there are about 30 patients on waiting list, waiting for a heart transplant from a donor. Due to an insufficient number of donors, as many as one third of patients have been waiting for surgery more than a year. Condition of our patient, Mr. Green, deteriorated quickly and therefore we talked to him about the possibility of obtaining and installing the equipment. Without installing this device, the patient would not be able to survive the period needed to obtain a suitable heart donor. "
"The surgery went extremely well and Mr. Matthew is recovering successfully. We expect he will be released from the hospital very soon, and will be able to do much more than before. This surgery will significantly improve the quality of his life until we find the proper heart transplant."
Patient’s Gratitude
In a statement issued at the hospital, Matthew Green thanked the staff: "Two years ago I was riding my bicycle nine miles to work and nine miles back every day, and when I was admitted to the hospital, I was barely able to walk a few meters. I’m really excited to get back home because I'll be able to perform daily activities that I have not been able to do for quite a while. Now I'll be able to play in the garden with my son and cook a meal for my family, until the conditions for transplantation appear... "
The Lack of Organ Donors
More than 5.7 million people in the US are living with chronic heart failure.
Heart failure is the primary cause of more than 55,000 deaths each year. About half of people who have heart failure die within 5 years of diagnosis. Heart failure costs the nation $34.4 billion each year. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications, and lost productivity. Those are just some of the facts to point out how important the development of artificial heart can be. For many of those patients, a heart transplant from a donor is the only way to survive 10 years or more.
Despite successfully performed operation (transplantation) artificial heart, people from the British Heart Foundation point out that this mechanical heart implantation is just a temporary solution and not an ordinary treatment and permanent solution for patients with heart failure.
The UK government is campaigning to increase the number of organ donors. One of the initiatives suggests the drivers to declare whether they, in case of an accident, agree or disagree to be donors of their organs, so that relevant data can be recorded in their driver's license.
Opinions
Professor Peter Vajsberg medical director of the British Heart Foundation, believes that, for patients with serious heart problems heart transplant is the only hope to live longer. Because donor hearts are not always available, the life of these patients is often compromised.
The professor also believes that this new solution of mechanical artificial heart will enable many patients to survive until a heart transplant period.
Previous solutions and versions of the artificial heart supported only left side of the heart, while the newer solutions help patients with any type of heart failure, thus creating the preconditions for a successful transplant.
Although today, the artificial heart is only a temporary solution, we have the reason to hope that it will become the main treatment for the patients with serious heart problems.
With heart disease being the number one cause of death in the U.S., many people with heart disease die before heart donations become available to them. Thus, a huge demand exists to develop a fully functioning artificial heart.
Because of the small number of organ donors with intact hearth and long waiting times for surgery, the first successful transplantation or installation of "temporary artificial heart" was performed. Experts see this venture as a great improvement, and as an opportunity to help patients with many types of heart diseases waiting for regular heart transplantation.
The artificial heart is a prosthetic device implanted into the human body in order to replace biological heart. There are many types of artificial heart, of which the most important are two: TAH – Total Artificial Heart (completely replaces human heart) and CAD – Cardiac Assist Device (helps the function of biological heart).
The First Case
In Cambridge, at Papworth Hospital, forty-year old Matthew Green became the first person in the UK to receive a new type of "temporary artificial heart," according to the new methods and procedures. The first heart transplant in the United Kingdom was also performed in this hospital in 1979.
Mr. Matthew Green has had serious issues with his heart (diseased heart muscle of the right ventricle) that lead to arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat), possible heart failure and sudden death. After the operation, which lasted 6 hours, he was provided with mechanical heart and he was ready to go home very soon.
Technology of Artificial Heart Implantation
Mechanical artificial heart which was implanted to Mr. Green is used in cases where the patient has serious problems with his heart, and there are no possibilities to get new heart from a human donor for a long time.
The device replaces the work of heart chambers and heart valves, and allows normal circulation of blood in the patient’s body.
The device is not yet so perfect and small enough to easily replace the heart. It requires an external power source that weighs about 6 pounds and must be carried in backpacks or bags over the shoulders. This device is still much better than the previous version which required fixed (stable) power source from the electric net or from a large battery, so the patient had to stay in hospital.
The Operation
A team of doctors who performed the operation-transplantation had a special training before this surgery, in order to safely manage the whole operation.
After the operation, Mr. Steven Tsui, consultant cardiac surgeon and director of the transplant department of this hospital, said:
"At any time, at our hospital, there are about 30 patients on waiting list, waiting for a heart transplant from a donor. Due to an insufficient number of donors, as many as one third of patients have been waiting for surgery more than a year. Condition of our patient, Mr. Green, deteriorated quickly and therefore we talked to him about the possibility of obtaining and installing the equipment. Without installing this device, the patient would not be able to survive the period needed to obtain a suitable heart donor. "
"The surgery went extremely well and Mr. Matthew is recovering successfully. We expect he will be released from the hospital very soon, and will be able to do much more than before. This surgery will significantly improve the quality of his life until we find the proper heart transplant."
Patient’s Gratitude
In a statement issued at the hospital, Matthew Green thanked the staff: "Two years ago I was riding my bicycle nine miles to work and nine miles back every day, and when I was admitted to the hospital, I was barely able to walk a few meters. I’m really excited to get back home because I'll be able to perform daily activities that I have not been able to do for quite a while. Now I'll be able to play in the garden with my son and cook a meal for my family, until the conditions for transplantation appear... "
The Lack of Organ Donors
More than 5.7 million people in the US are living with chronic heart failure.
Heart failure is the primary cause of more than 55,000 deaths each year. About half of people who have heart failure die within 5 years of diagnosis. Heart failure costs the nation $34.4 billion each year. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications, and lost productivity. Those are just some of the facts to point out how important the development of artificial heart can be. For many of those patients, a heart transplant from a donor is the only way to survive 10 years or more.
Despite successfully performed operation (transplantation) artificial heart, people from the British Heart Foundation point out that this mechanical heart implantation is just a temporary solution and not an ordinary treatment and permanent solution for patients with heart failure.
The UK government is campaigning to increase the number of organ donors. One of the initiatives suggests the drivers to declare whether they, in case of an accident, agree or disagree to be donors of their organs, so that relevant data can be recorded in their driver's license.
Opinions
Professor Peter Vajsberg medical director of the British Heart Foundation, believes that, for patients with serious heart problems heart transplant is the only hope to live longer. Because donor hearts are not always available, the life of these patients is often compromised.
The professor also believes that this new solution of mechanical artificial heart will enable many patients to survive until a heart transplant period.
Previous solutions and versions of the artificial heart supported only left side of the heart, while the newer solutions help patients with any type of heart failure, thus creating the preconditions for a successful transplant.
Although today, the artificial heart is only a temporary solution, we have the reason to hope that it will become the main treatment for the patients with serious heart problems.
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