well.blogs.nytimes.com— The Smithsonian Institute released a photo of the first artificial heart that kept a transplant patient alive for nearly three days in 1969.
Feb 15, 2011View in Crawl 4
"The artificial device, implanted April 4, 1969, kept him alive for three days until a human heart was available for transplant. Sadly, he lived less than two days after the human heart was implanted."
Looks like technology wins again, even then! Viva la machina!
Here's to a bright future of artificial hearts. Most people don't realize that heart transplant recipients rarely live that long after the procedure. About 30% die within 5 years. All transplanted organs can be rejected, and require you to take immunosuppressants (basically, give yourself AIDS). Hearts are a nasty thing to reject.
There was a recent news article about a neutral artificial transplant that wasn't being rejected. It's a promising start. Now it's a race between cloned organs (can't reject your own DNA) and reject-free artificial organs. The former will probably be cheaper, but the latter is pretty sweet when your DNA doesn't know how to make the organ properly (i.e. you have a genetic defect, a pretty common reason to get a heart transplant in the first place).
Did anyone else click this thinking that they had just invented the first artificial heart and it was going to save so many people who needed brand new hearts, only to realize it was about some old ass heart that only worked for a little while while a new one was installed.
That's all artificial hearts have ever really been used for, bridging the gap until a transplant is available (or the patient dies). They've never really been used as permanent replacements (again, except when patients have died without a transplant becoming available).
Well that's a bulls**t misleading title, because that's really not an artificial heart if it only worked for 3 days. I was expecting to be wowed by a sudden breakthrough in tech that resulted in a mechanical heart that lasts at least half as long as a real one. I'm guessing I really will have to wait until meta-materials become more prevalent before I can start eating McDonalds without a care...
What is the point to implant a ” temporary organ” as all other organs are failing? You end up with a “living corpse” in the ICU which is on the ventilator, kidney dialysis and smelly of dead flesh. Seen it and smelled it. Thanks, but let me die. Death is a natural event ; it is not a disease to fight, not an ego to stroke but an unavoidable event.
It's a crucial thing for expert doctors on doing heart transplants. It is because the heart plays a very important role in a humans body. So this is a delicate situation for the patient and the doctor.
centraltransFeb 15, 2011
technology has come a long ways. A heart transplant would be scary enough without being the first one to receive a transplant. great article.
joefish142857Feb 15, 2011
"The artificial device, implanted April 4, 1969, kept him alive for three days until a human heart was available for transplant. Sadly, he lived less than two days after the human heart was implanted."
Looks like technology wins again, even then! Viva la machina!
kenjuraFeb 15, 2011
Here's to a bright future of artificial hearts. Most people don't realize that heart transplant recipients rarely live that long after the procedure. About 30% die within 5 years. All transplanted organs can be rejected, and require you to take immunosuppressants (basically, give yourself AIDS). Hearts are a nasty thing to reject.
There was a recent news article about a neutral artificial transplant that wasn't being rejected. It's a promising start. Now it's a race between cloned organs (can't reject your own DNA) and reject-free artificial organs. The former will probably be cheaper, but the latter is pretty sweet when your DNA doesn't know how to make the organ properly (i.e. you have a genetic defect, a pretty common reason to get a heart transplant in the first place).
tsuruchibrianFeb 16, 2011
Ironically once you have AIDS, it makes you more susceptible to contracting HIV and getting *real* AIDS.
arcayneFeb 16, 2011
Did anyone else click this thinking that they had just invented the first artificial heart and it was going to save so many people who needed brand new hearts, only to realize it was about some old ass heart that only worked for a little while while a new one was installed.
maskedslackerFeb 16, 2011
That's all artificial hearts have ever really been used for, bridging the gap until a transplant is available (or the patient dies). They've never really been used as permanent replacements (again, except when patients have died without a transplant becoming available).
addiktionFeb 16, 2011
Oh how far we've come:
http://health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/modern/artificial-heart.htm
Closed AccountFeb 16, 2011
it kept him alive longer than the real heat
torisutanFeb 16, 2011
Well that's a bulls**t misleading title, because that's really not an artificial heart if it only worked for 3 days. I was expecting to be wowed by a sudden breakthrough in tech that resulted in a mechanical heart that lasts at least half as long as a real one. I'm guessing I really will have to wait until meta-materials become more prevalent before I can start eating McDonalds without a care...
ryans2Feb 16, 2011
What is the point to implant a ” temporary organ” as all other organs are failing? You end up with a “living corpse” in the ICU which is on the ventilator, kidney dialysis and smelly of dead flesh. Seen it and smelled it. Thanks, but let me die. Death is a natural event ; it is not a disease to fight, not an ego to stroke but an unavoidable event.
cccculbFeb 16, 2011
^^-
weezermc78Feb 16, 2011
This is amazing. I love how far science and technology has driven our understanding of the human body. Science fascinates me.
jibjamFeb 16, 2011
wao amazing ,
immediateactionFeb 16, 2011
One step closer to a sex-cyborg.
tandlaegefrederiksbergFeb 16, 2011
Crazy stuff
ParentingCoachLisaFeb 16, 2011
the device looks weird to me...
jeffweazelFeb 16, 2011
It's a crucial thing for expert doctors on doing heart transplants. It is because the heart plays a very important role in a humans body. So this is a delicate situation for the patient and the doctor.
jasongadgetguyFeb 16, 2011
Its 3 days too late anyway, valentines day was the 14th and im still a loveless Ba$#%rd
jeankaoFeb 16, 2011
wow
alinchiriacFeb 16, 2011
Cat de tare... In curand speranta de viata va ajunge pana la 200 ani
alinchiriacFeb 16, 2011
Great info. Soon the life expectancy will be 200 years.