Earlier quoted context omitted.
Wow, that's not great. I take it these are meant to be used as a stopgap before an actual transplant?
Yea; it's a stopgap solution. The pump is in a backpack so it's not perfect for mobility.
[deleted]
Man given genetically modified pig heart dies
41–50 of 241 posts
Re: Man given genetically modified pig heart dies
#42Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not always, some are”destination” therapy meaning no transplant planned in the immediate future. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17192-left-...
That's an LVAD, though -- isn't that an entirely different beast than an artificial heart, with a different use case?
LVAD goes for 5 years
Re: Man given genetically modified pig heart dies
#43this is sad.
it's kind of bizarre from a mile high view, but all so normal too, that no one comments on the sacrifice of a pig, i found myself observing.
Re: Man given genetically modified pig heart dies
#44My friend was a member of the transplant team at Johns Hopkins. "They" said he was near multiple organ failure prior to the transplant. And he survived significantly longer than expected. Recovery under those circumstances was a very long shot already. Kudos to him for undergoing the procedure, and furthering the research. Condolences to he and his family.
Well that really raises the question of what did he die from? If not from the heart, how do they proceed with the research? Gotta do the next one on a person whose not already nearly gone. That seems like a highly sensitive line, no doubt it's a big discussion to move it.
Re: Man given genetically modified pig heart dies
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
To everyone that reads this: If you've not had a checkup in the last year go and get one! It'll be included on your health insurance and the blood draw will include things like if you have high cholesterol.
There is no real medical need for an ‘annual physical’ it is a creation of the American medical-industrial complex and creates more problems than it solves. Having said that seeing a doctor occasionally for blood pressure etc is useful, but the interval for someone young and otherwise not experiencing any symptoms doesn’t need to be annually
> There is no real medical need for an ‘annual physical’ it is a creation of the American medical-industrial complex and creates more problems than it solves.
What problems does it create? Isn't preventive care a good thing? Also Japan does annual physicals much more rigorous that in the US. I wish what is done in the US was more rigorous because it would have caught the autoimmune disease that caused my kidney failure. Unfortunately by the time there are visible symptoms, the damage cannot be reversed.
Re: Man given genetically modified pig heart dies
#46[deleted]
Re: Man given genetically modified pig heart dies
#47Earlier quoted context omitted.
In the US I presume? Canadians have a harder time... In Canada/Ontario, you have to convince your doctor to give you a cholesterol test, e.g. family history. It won't be done preventively [1]. Even if you manage to get tested, if you're under 40 the doctor won't care and there will be no followup. [1] https://exechealth.ca/ontario-drops-annual-physicals/
A test in the US < $50 and is easy to schedule without having a doctor involved at LabCore or similar. Is that an option in CA?
There are private clinics one can become a member of, but this is extremely uncommon and most people don't know it's an option.
Costs upwards of $3,000 annually.
Re: Man given genetically modified pig heart dies
#48Earlier quoted context omitted.
To everyone that reads this: If you've not had a checkup in the last year go and get one! It'll be included on your health insurance and the blood draw will include things like if you have high cholesterol.
In the US I presume? Canadians have a harder time... In Canada/Ontario, you have to convince your doctor to give you a cholesterol test, e.g. family history. It won't be done preventively [1]. Even if you manage to get tested, if you're under 40 the doctor won't care and there will be no followup. [1] https://exechealth.ca/ontario-drops-annual-physicals/
Meh. Might be an American thing, if you watch TV or news the images of persons will be constantly telling you to ask your doctor about this, consult a medical professional before this other activity they advertise, and oh you gotta see a dentist every six months. Just demand creation, better just to get a blood-pressure test when you do see a doctor and a cholesterol test based on the result.
Re: Man given genetically modified pig heart dies
#49My friend was a member of the transplant team at Johns Hopkins. "They" said he was near multiple organ failure prior to the transplant. And he survived significantly longer than expected. Recovery under those circumstances was a very long shot already. Kudos to him for undergoing the procedure, and furthering the research. Condolences to he and his family.
Well that really raises the question of what did he die from? If not from the heart, how do they proceed with the research? Gotta do the next one on a person whose not already nearly gone. That seems like a highly sensitive line, no doubt it's a big discussion to move it.
That was my biggest question too. patients die all the time after receiving a human organ transplant just due to the body being in a poor state and/or rejecting the organ. So it was either that case in which even if he received a human heart the same outcome of him dying would have happened. Or it was the pig heart that was the problem. Hopefully it can be determined which case happened, and I am glad he got to spend a few more months with his family.
Re: Man given genetically modified pig heart dies
#50Earlier quoted context omitted.
Wow, that's not great. I take it these are meant to be used as a stopgap before an actual transplant?
Yea; it's a stopgap solution. The pump is in a backpack so it's not perfect for mobility.
LVADs are implanted in your chest. Blood doesn't leave your body, but do they have external batteries. You have a wire coming out of your chest (or neck/head, sometimes) which is a constant infection worry. AFAIK the only external pumps are like, countertop kind of things.
They're ideally a stopgap, but even still it's typically a massive change in quality of life. The left ventricle is what feeds your entire body blood; the right ventricle only feeds the lungs. When the left ventricle fails, blood backs up and starts overflowing into the lung space. It's exceptionally unpleasant. The right ventricle is usually in much better shape so an LVAD can be almost like having a functioning transplant except for the risk of infection.