• Italian teenager gets an artificial heart.
    59 replies, posted
[quote]A 15-year-old boy in Italy has received an artificial heart, after a 10-hour operation by Rome's Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital. It’s the first time that the procedure has ever been performed on a child, the hospital says. Artificial hearts are mostly used on a temporary basis to keep the patient alive until a suitable organ transplant can be found and performed. For example, the world’s first artificial heart -- which was placed into Haskell Carp’s chest in 1969 -- was only kept in place for 64 hours. The donated organ was then swapped in and the operation was a success, signalling a future for the medical technology. But the boy’s condition (Duchenne muscular dystrophy) meant that a long wait would be impossible, so the artificial organ would have to be implemented permanently. The device -- an electrically activated hydraulic pump -- is four inches long and weighs 400 grams. It receives its power from an external belt-held battery that’s charged every night, and connects to the device by a cable that runs up to the teenager’s left ear. Having it fully implemented in the boy’s chest means its far less likely to suffer infections. “The risks of infection are indeed the primary cause of failure of the alternatives tested to date worldwide,” said Antonio Amodeo, the lead member of the hospital’s cardiac team. Amodeo claims that the success of the operation means future therapeutic implications are huge, and an artificial heart can increase the life expectancy of a patient with a cardiac disease by as much as 20 to 25 years.[/quote] [url]http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2010-10/05/child-artificial-heart[/url] although it's battery powered, it's still pretty amazing. technology makes me go :aaa:
Incredible.
What if it breaks?
Can he get a virus? :raise:
Science :love:
[QUOTE=8BitLord;25269086]Can he get a virus? :raise:[/QUOTE] [quote]Having it fully implemented in the boy’s chest means its far less likely to suffer infections. “The risks of infection are indeed the primary cause of failure of the alternatives tested to date worldwide,” said Antonio Amodeo, the lead member of the hospital’s cardiac team.[/quote]
[QUOTE=Simples;25269064]What if it breaks?[/QUOTE] So do you.
[QUOTE=frankie penis;25269107]laaa[/QUOTE] It was a joke, you know, the stuff that isn't serious? Hurr.
Anyone else thought of Crank when reading this?
[QUOTE=BrQ;25269147]Anyone else thought of Crank when reading this?[/QUOTE] Damn it, was going to post this.
Heartwarming news
Don't forget to charge it.
[IMG]http://patrickcraig.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/tony-stark1.jpg[/IMG]
Imagine the pranks. Hey, look, there's a loose wire hanging off your che- OH SHIT OH SHIT I AM GOING TO DIE
[QUOTE=Simples;25269064]What if it breaks?[/QUOTE] If it's still under warranty he should get a replacement.
Thats a story to tug the ol' heart-strings. v:v:v
[QUOTE=Simples;25269064]What if it breaks?[/QUOTE] [img]http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb241/mykellardizabal/HNNG.jpg[/img]
A cyborg italian Excellent And I didn't really expect to see this any time soon, this is lovely and great for him! :buddy:
Who knows- in 50 years you can possibly live forever.
[QUOTE=Wiggles;25269399]If it's still under warranty he should get a replacement.[/QUOTE] You know, life-long warranty :v:
If I had that I would always worry about it breaking somehow.
[img]http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20050918033139/memoryalpha/en/images/thumb/9/96/Jean-Luc_Picard_stabbed.jpg/300px-Jean-Luc_Picard_stabbed.jpg[/img]
plus 20 to 25 years? Wow..
[QUOTE=Dashiel;25269355][img_thumb]http://patrickcraig.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/tony-stark1.jpg[/img_thumb][/QUOTE] that's not an artificial heart, but ok.
[img]http://www.latinoreview.com/images/user/artificialheart_zoom.jpg[/img] [QUOTE=BrQ;25269147]Anyone else thought of Crank when reading this?[/QUOTE] Absolutely :v:
Now add the jellyfish milkshake from the other thread and you've got a solar powered artificial heart.
Never before has the blue screen of death ever been so apparent.
[QUOTE=Komeight;25269476][img]http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb241/mykellardizabal/HNNG.jpg[/img][/QUOTE] Makes me wonder how he would feel it if it fails. Would he feel it as a shortness of breath?
Pacemaker?
Now he's half way to being just as much cyborg as Dick Cheney.
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