Heart Transplantation Analysis

Until recently, the only viable option for severe heart failure patients has been heart transplantation. Heart disease continues to claim an increasing proportion of the world’s population, so in turn the demand for donor hearts is rising. However, according to the alarming figures from the Registry of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation in 2013, the number of donor hearts readily available for transplant are flat in countries and declining in others. To address this issue, medical teams from across the globe have successfully developed the artificial heart; currently, there is 13 known models on the market. This breakthrough in medical technology has been implanted into patients dying of end-stage biventricular heart …show more content…
It can either serve to provide an extra ventricle or act as a substitute for the entire heart. Dependent on the model, it may have several valves, a mechanism to propel the blood forward, and one or more chambers. The device is made from a combination of metals and plastics, and is fitted with a small pumping chamber lined by a special material that prevents blood clots forming. Powered by either compressed air or electricity, a thin cable connects the pumping chamber to a control console that regulates the pump function. Again, depending on the model it may be inserted into the chest or lie outside the body. Blood enters an artificial heart from the left or right atrium. It is then pumped into the aorta (artery that supplies to the body) and/or the pulmonary (artery that supplies to the lungs) and functions here as …show more content…
For people on the waiting list, an artificial heart can slow the deterioration of their medical condition or prevent complications that could keep them off the transplant list by improving cardiovascular function; the device can also restore a person’s hemodynamic stability, by raising their blood pressure and assisting the recovery of vital organs as much as possible, in anticipation of a transplantation. In certain cases, where candidates are not eligible for heart transplantation due to age or other factors, an artificial heart can prolong their quality of life. The Food and Drug Administration approved the CardioWest Artificial Heart based on studies, which indicated that 70% of people who received the artificial heart survived until transplant compared to 46% who survived without the device. And unlike a traditional transplantation, there is no extensive waiting list, as artificial hearts are becoming more readily available as the technology improves. One other notable advantage is there is no need for immunosuppressive drugs, which suppress the immune system and prevent the rejection of the implanted donor organ. The drug can compromise renal function and leave the patient susceptible to infection; and the decreased blood flow that can result impairs function in vital organs such as the liver, kidney, and