Could it be the ability to keep very sick hearts alive and working effectively for longer amounts of time then previous? Quite possibly! Could it be that even though there are more registered organ donors, our organs aren’t exactly what they used to be? High cholesterol, smoking, alcohol abuse and older donors… a different type of death.

What do you suppose is the solution? Well I do have 2 words for you… stem cells. I know how controversial and heated the debate is but just think what the implications could be if we were able to regenerate healthy heart tissue. Here is what the UK government has suggested.

The UK government is currently looking into turning our current system of “opting in” to being a donor, to “opting out”, where everybody is considered a donor unless they explicitly state otherwise. But this is a thorny issue, and there are some who believe that no matter how many people are dying on waiting list, the suggestion that the state presume control of our bodies is one step too far.

How do you feel about the above mentioned? Kind of interesting…

Post from: Blisstree

More Organ Donors But Less Heart Transplants

The pump is implanted into the patient’s body and pumps blood from the weakened left ventricle to the rest of the body at the same rate as a healthy heart. In addition to helping 75 percent of patients stay alive for at least six months, or until a donor heart becomes available, the device assists patients’ original hearts regain function, thereby allowing other organs to heal by restoring blood flow.

The device is about the size of a “D” sized battery which will allow it to help patients both big and small and male and female. Pretty cool!

via Science Daily

Post from: Blisstree

Heart Failure Pump Developed

Protected by its own nutrients and blood supply, a beating heart supported by an investigational organ preservation device was successfully transplanted into a 47-year-old man with congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension on Sunday, April 8.

Very cool stuff! This pioneering surgery took place at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine using a heart that was maintained in a beating state on the investigational Organ Care System (OCS) for two hours and 45 minutes.

The recipient was discharged from the hospital on April 30th in good shape. The OCS keeps organs in their physiological, beating state during transportation to the recipient’s hospital.

Potential for the Organ Care System to aid in the transplant process is promising. The risk of ischemic complications will be greatly reduced as well as rejection.

Cold ischemic storage of organs can lead to substantial organ damage in isolated cases. The faster the organ reaches the patient, the better the chance for a successful transplantation. International data shows that the one year survival of heart transplant is directly and significantly related to the length of time an organ is without blood between the donor and the recipient surgeries. If the time window between removal and implantation is too long, the organ will become unusable. The maximum storage time for a heart is presently four to six hours.

Only a third of patients waiting for a transplant will actually receive their gift. And when you do the math, about 20 people die each day awaiting their organ. Will the OCS be a welcome alternative to the conventional transport method of an organ? Do you think that the amount of rejected transplants will be considerably decreased? I’m excited!

via Science Daily

Post from: Blisstree

Organ Care System Allows Beating Heart To Be Transplanted Into Recipient