Four Chambers Of The Heart

First Beatless Heart Worked "Perfectly" in Texas Man

If you were to have listened through a stethoscope to the heart of a 55 year-old Texas man named Craig Lewis, you wouldn't have heard a thing. How about feeling for a pulse? There would be nothing there. That's because Mr. Lewis was the first human ever to receive a beatless heart transplant.

The heart, developed by Dr. Billy Cohn and Dr. Bud Fraizer from the Texas Heart Institute, was given to Lewis who was suffering from total heart failure as a complication of a disease called amyloidosis. At the time Lewis was told he only had 12 more hours to live.

"He wanted to live, and we didn't want to lose him," said Lewis's wife, Linda, in an interview with NPR. "You never know how much time you have, but it was worth it."

Normally, a human heart works on a pump system using the cardiac muscles. There are electrical impulses that tell these muscles to squeeze, pushing blood through each of the heart's four chambers in a coordinated fashion. This squeeze is a “beat” and allows for blood to be circulated through the body efficiently.

However, the system the Dr. Cohn and Dr. Fraiser devised is something entirely different. Rather than using a “pump” mechanism they used a pair of rotors that whirl around and propel blood through the vascular system in one continuous flow. The parts came from two ventricular assist devices that they hooked together.

"Dacron on the inside and fiberglass impregnated in silicone on the outside," said Cohn of the materials they used to create the artificial heart. "There's a moderate amount of homemade stuff on here."

The ventricular assist device used to create this heart is not a new technology. It was created back in the 1980's and has been used effectively for decades in people who have ventricular failure. Vice President Dick Cheany had one implanted just last year. However, this is the first time that two of these devices have been put together to create a fully functional heart.

"I think it's fascinating," said Dr. Jay Pal, assistant professor of cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

Currently people suffering from total heart failure only have two options: artificial heart or a translplant. However, wait lists for transplants are long and there are very few hearts donated. Artificial hearts, although they have been effective in prolonging lives, also come with problems as well. They function on a pump system which, at 35 million beats per year, tend to wear out quickly.

Different Types of Heart Diseases | DifferentTypes.org

Here you can read about different types of heart diseases. Heart disease can be defined as any problem related to heart. All of these problems usually affect blood vessels. Heart is the most important organ in the human body. Heart is an ‘engine’ that makes the whole system work. If there is something wrong with your heart, it will result in serious problems. Therefore, it is important to know more about different types of heart diseases. If diagnosed early, most of these problems can be treated successfully. Some people are at higher risk of having heart diseases, and genetics can be one of the factors. Let us learn more about different types of heart diseases.

Veins and arteries can be damaged. As you grow old, your blood vessels have more fats on their walls. This can lead to blood vessel thickening, which makes the blood unable to flow normally. Blood supply to your heart is interrupted in this way. Artherosclerosis is one of such diseases. This condition can be deadly.

A heart is composed of four chambers. If any of these chambers cannot function normally, it will result in a heart disease. Congestive heart failure is one of such diseases. In this case, the heart cannot receive sufficient amount of blood coming from the lungs, nor it can pump out the blood that is oxygenated to other organs in the body.

Heart muscles disease is also called cardiomyopathy. This happens when heart muscles become stiff or thickened. The ability to pump blood is reduced, which leads to other problems. Blood supply gets seriously interrupted.

This condition affects the heart electrical system. It is also known as “arrhythmias”. To work normally, heart needs electrical impulses. If it can’t receive these impulses, your heart may start beating too fast, or it can become to slow.

Heart has four valves that control blood flow inside the chambers. If there are problems with these valves, the blood supply will be interrupted. The valves can become stiff and unable to transfer blood properly.

There are other heart diseases, like hypertension, heart failure, etc. If you have a family history of heart diseases, you should learn more about prevention. Healthy lifestyle and healthy diet are considered the most important factors in prevention of any heart disease.

Moss and Adams' heart disease in infants, children, and adolescents, including the fetus and young adult

Human biology, concepts and current issues

British journal of obstetrics and gynaecology

Fetal Heart Ultrasound, How, Why and When; 3 Steps and 10 Key Points

Competition Science Vision