Man lives 555 days without a heart

[IronLionZion]

http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/10/health/artificial-heart-555-days-transplant/index.html

While waiting for a human heart transplant, Stan Larkin lived 555 days without the organ at all.

To passers-by, the 25-year-old Ypsilanti, Michigan, resident appeared to be a typical young adult. He enjoyed taking his three toddlers to the park and hanging out with his younger brother, Dominique.

What wasn't obvious was that a gray backpack Larkin carried was what kept him alive. Inside that bag was the power source for an artificial heart pumping in his chest.
Larkin's real heart was removed from his body in November 2014. It was replaced with a device that allowed Larkin to stay home instead of in a hospital while waiting to receive a transplant.

It finally arrived this year, in May. Now, Larkin is recovering from his procedure at the University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Center. He is scheduled to return home as early as next week.
"Most people would be scared to go so long with [an artificial heart], but I just want to tell them that you have to go through the fear, because it helps you," Larkin said. "I'm going home so fast after the transplant because it helped me stay healthy before the transplant."

Video at link. This is amazing to live this long on an artificial heart outside the body. Very interesting story and there is a video at the link.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. I thought this was going to be about Mitch McConnell.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. You are invited to remove yourself from my head

That is EXACTLY what I thought when I read the headline!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. GMTA, they say...

[TwilightZone]

5. haha, yes

[IronLionZion]

7. Or Drumpf or Ryan, or any of them really

Trump might be missing more organs too.

[Aerows]

17. Took the words right out of my mouth! n/t

[Warpy]

6. People on LVADs usually fare much better in transplant surgery

because the device perfuses all the other organs much better than a failing heart would. They go into surgery with lungs, kidneys, brain, liver, and other systems in tiptop condition.

It just seems weird that they'd remove his heart completely to insert the device.

I think people alive today will see the end of transplant surgery, either new organs regrown from donor cells or implanted devices with long lasting battery packs eliminating the need altogether.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

9. Years ago, I remember reading an article about how surprised doctors were at how healthy...

... other organs became when patients went on the LVAD.

One of the theories floated was maybe someday we would all take a heart vacation and let the body and other organs recoup.

[Warpy]

10. People in failure and looking at transplant down the road

would certainly benefit. Unfortunately, none of the devices is anything you can remove easily. They pretty much destroy what's left of the heart when they put them in.

I didn't read articles, I saw it in clinical practice.

[spanone]

8. this guys gone 75 years without one....

[BlueMTexpat]

15. I have to admit that was my

first thought too.

But the technological advances in heart surgery and care are truly amazing, in spite of The Dick and everything he stands for.

[Voice for Peace]

11. Cockroaches can stay alive for a week w no head.

Without a head-substitute device.
And the HEAD can also stay alive, if refrigerated. Not as long though..

[Fumesucker]

12. See post #8

[Voice for Peace]

13. If you open the refrigerator to look at their heads

they will wiggle their feelers at you.

Regarding the heartless one: wasn't he using something similar till they found a victim i mean donor? Walking around with no heart just a battery?

[Fumesucker]

14. I think in his case they used a liquid helium pump as a replacement

[Aerows]

18. Oh my god that comment should come with a trigger warning.

I am not afraid of a damn thing except cockroaches. I cannot function if I see one in a room until it is dead.

Wiggling their feelers at you? Dear lord I think I have to run from this thread!!!!

[eppur_se_muova]

19. Coal-fired, not battery. nt

[arendt]

16. The guy played pick-up basketball games with the AH!

I mean, what if he fell?

Either this gadget and the surgical connections to his bloodstream are really tough, or he was taking a big chance.

Still, an amazing story.

They didn't say how much the AH cost. Anyone have any idea?