Implanting a mechanical heart is currently the most sophisticated FDA approved technology in the world and a permanent solution to Heart Failure and for a patient who cannot find a donor heart or in patient where heart transplant is not possible. Post this procedure, there is a 90% survival rate extending life for upto 10 years as against the survival rate in heart transplant patients which is estimated at only 50% upto 10 years. The device performs the function of the left ventricle of the heart and pumps the blood when the heart is too weak to do so, on its own.
A mild respiratory infection took a fatal turn in the case of 29-year-old Iraqi patient. The infection spread from his lungs to his heart and within a fortnight of contracting the disease, was diagnosed with severe left ventricular dysfunction and doctors back home told him that without a heart transplant there was no hope.Cadaver donor heart is not easily available.As per The Human Organ Transplant Law in India, a foreign patient can receive a cadaveric organ only once the national list is exhausted.
Setting a landmark in cardiac surgery, at a hospital in Gurgaon, a FDA approved ‘Mechanical Heart’ (a type of Left Ventricular Assist Device – LVAD)was successfully implanted in the patient, giving him a new lease of life. Called the “Heart Mate II”, the device was implanted through a complex procedure.
The surgery opens new avenues for not only Indian but also International patients awaiting heart transplants. This is a momentous step towards continuity of life of patients awaiting heart transplants, given the sporadic rate of organ donation. This technology has wide spread utility as a life saver as one does not have to wait for a suitable donor.
There are many advantages of implanting a mechanical heart. Unlike a heart transplant which requires intake of immuno-suppressants to facilitate organ acceptance, patients with implanted device need to take only one simple blood thinning medicine to ensure free flow of blood. This also prevents the high risk of contracting infection post-surgery. Another advantage is that the device can be removed if the left ventricle recovers in due course of time. Furthermore, patient with rare blood groups can also benefit from the implant as same device is inter-operable with all blood groups. As the technology matures and the devices become miniaturized, future devices can be completely implanted inside the human body with an internally placed long-term energy source, allowing even greater convenience and ease to patients.
As per FDA certification, the expected longevity of the device is 60 years and hence an effective long-term solution for those who would never be eligible candidates for a heart transplant. The burden of heart failure in India is high, roughly estimated close to 5 million and due to lack of availability of deceased donor hearts the problem is even larger. The LVAD therapy is the next big hope for the patients suffering from heart failure who are either elderly, children in the age group of 12-14 years suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy, cancer patients, those suffering from immuno-deficiency syndrome, or afflicted with viral infections of the heart to prolong their life while allowing them to lead a life as close to normal as possible.
To know more about the latest update on this treatment protocol and treating centers offering the same as well as
for getting your reports reviewed, post a query
