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No pump manufactured industrially can even do what our heart has to do in life: during this period, it pumps about 250,000,000 liters of blood. If an appropriate donor organ is absent in case of terminal heart failure, "mechanical hearts" will intervene temporarily.
Burdens and Opportunities of "Artificial Hearts"
No industrial pump can even do what our heart does in one lifetime: during this time, the heart pumps about 250,000,000 liters of blood into the body. If a suitable donor organ is lacking in terminal heart failure, "mechanical hearts" often invade, but this is not a permanent solution, as prof. Dr. med. Jan Gummert explained in an interview. Gummert is not only a cardiac surgeon but also president of the German Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
Teacher. Gummert, how often is heart failure?
Currently live in Germany, about 1.8 million people suffering from heart failureHeart failure has long been one of the most common diagnoses of patients requiring hospitalization.
What are the treatment options for patients?
The treatment of each patient always depends on the course of the disease. In this context, there are different treatment options, either alone, such as treatment with drugs, or in combination, such as, but not limited to. additional implantation of cardiac pacemakers or defibrillators is used. If heart failure progresses and is not sufficiently treatable by the measures mentioned previously, we talk about End-stage heart failureFor these patients, the Heart transplant continues to be the gold standard,
The hearts of the donors are missing. What are the options for terminal heart failure?
This is unfortunately correct. There is too few donor heartsLast year, 318 hearts were transplanted to Germany. In contrast, more than 700 patients with end-stage heart failure are currently waiting for an appropriate donor heart throughout the country. Cardiac surgeons are very concerned about the general lack of donor organs, hope for a rapid change in the patient's situation and therefore support the solution, as has already been successfully practiced in many neighboring European countries. According to the current state of development, despite many advances and innovations, there is no adequate substitute for the human heart. For patients with end-stage heart failure for whom no donor heart is available, or those who, for whatever reason, are not eligible for a transplant mechanical heart support systems the best available therapeutic option,
What are cardiac support systems and how do they work?
Simplified mechanical ventricular badist devices (VADs) are complex medical devices support the heart in its pumping function or even completely take overA distinction is made between electrically driven heart rate and compressed air systems. These can be implanted in the human body or located outside the patient. Depending on the disease, an appropriate system is selected individually for each patient.
Currently the most common electrically controlled continuous pumping systems used. Mechanically propelled cardiac badist systems, with turbine drives of various sizes and designs, are connected to the heart by the thorax. The patient's heart remains in the body. To power and control these pumps, it is necessary to have a skin in contact with the skin (transmission) to the control computer and the batteries.
Depending on the ventricle to be supported, a left ventricular (LVAD) or right ventricular (RVAD) support system is implanted. in particular Left ventricular badist devices (LVAD) play an increasingly important role in the treatment of terminal heart failure in recent yearsArtificial hearts currently available (total artificial heart, TAH), implanted in place of the human heart and thus replacing it completely, are always badociated with higher risks and a deterioration of the quality of life and are therefore not implanted in Germany only in exceptional cases.
When do patients receive a cardiac badist system?
The implantation of cardiac badistance systems is now taking place under different goals for affected patients. Therefore, they can both to fill the waiting period until a transplant as well as temporary or temporary or permanent support of the heart to be used. Whatever the context, cardiac badist systems open in patients with acute or chronic heart failure in the end, the only way to ensure survival,
How do patients live with LVAD? What to consider
the Quality of life of patients has gone through relatively small, almost silent and light medical devices over the last decade significantly improvedThe patient can therefore move freely at home, as the The batteries without charge over a period of up to twelve hours provide the necessary energyOf course, regular checks must be carried out on the patients concerned. Patients with a cardiac support system are no longer on the list of "highly urgent" heart transplants, but have the status of "transplantable". In Germany, this leaves only 1% of chances per year to receive a suitable heart transplant. In fact, in Germany, it is a long-term treatment for most patients with LVAD.
What complications can occur?
In the context of cardiac support systems can different complications happen. For example, it may be the discharge point of the power cable (transmission) on the skin infections come. Infections can spread through the blood and, in the worst case, the support system is affected by the infection sepsis comes. Also a stroke It is therefore urgent to continue the technological improvements and innovations of VAD to further reduce the rate of complications and improve the quality of life of patients.
What can or should patients care about?
Patients with a cardiac badistance system must at least every six months to check present in the clinic and must be well trained to manage their cardiac support system. Similarly, it is important that Family and parents to include, so that these Master the challenges can. Psychological help must be guaranteed at all times because therapy with LVAD can be emotionally stressful. Here, competent badistance is absolutely necessary.
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