Heart in a Box
Alwina Thomas
Mr. Mushal
Anatomy/ Per: 7th
November 22, 2011
Heart in a Box "How long can a human heart sit in a cooler of ice—thirsty for vein-borne blood, detached from ox y gen and lungs—before it becomes useless to the transplant patient who desperately needs it?" (Ballingall) Studies have shown that for up to 4 hours a transplanted heart can stay strong and healthy in a cooler of ice, but past six hours is too long for the heart to be stable, and its impossible to predict whether the heart will reject the recipient or not. In an article on May 2009 Caplan said "Hearts are very fragile and can sometimes be damaged by the current standard method of preserving them on ice." So the TransMedics came up with this machine, heart in the box which is known as the Organ Care System, is made by TransMedics Inc., of Andover, Mass. This device keeps the heart pumping. "Inside the new transportable box, a machine pumps donor blood through the heart without requiring cold temperatures or artificial preservative fluids. The company says a heart kept functioning this way can be preserved for at least 24 hours." (Caplan). The doctors have agreed that the heart will be able to be taken anywhere, without the result of failing the heart, through the process of transportation. Andrew Kessel said that the "Massachusetts based company has raised $27.6 million in series B funding. Their proprietary machine pumps warm, nutrient-rich oxygenated blood through the donor heart until it is ready for transplant. The heart is kept in a sterile compartment that simulates the conditions within the human body, allowing it to function normally while outside the body. Along with the life-support systems, the TransMedics machine also has the capabilities for performing the necessary diagnostics that doctors require before the heart is transplanted through the use of a wireless monitor." This way has been being used all over. This way the heart is securely safe, and easy to be
Mr. Mushal
Anatomy/ Per: 7th
November 22, 2011
Heart in a Box "How long can a human heart sit in a cooler of ice—thirsty for vein-borne blood, detached from ox y gen and lungs—before it becomes useless to the transplant patient who desperately needs it?" (Ballingall) Studies have shown that for up to 4 hours a transplanted heart can stay strong and healthy in a cooler of ice, but past six hours is too long for the heart to be stable, and its impossible to predict whether the heart will reject the recipient or not. In an article on May 2009 Caplan said "Hearts are very fragile and can sometimes be damaged by the current standard method of preserving them on ice." So the TransMedics came up with this machine, heart in the box which is known as the Organ Care System, is made by TransMedics Inc., of Andover, Mass. This device keeps the heart pumping. "Inside the new transportable box, a machine pumps donor blood through the heart without requiring cold temperatures or artificial preservative fluids. The company says a heart kept functioning this way can be preserved for at least 24 hours." (Caplan). The doctors have agreed that the heart will be able to be taken anywhere, without the result of failing the heart, through the process of transportation. Andrew Kessel said that the "Massachusetts based company has raised $27.6 million in series B funding. Their proprietary machine pumps warm, nutrient-rich oxygenated blood through the donor heart until it is ready for transplant. The heart is kept in a sterile compartment that simulates the conditions within the human body, allowing it to function normally while outside the body. Along with the life-support systems, the TransMedics machine also has the capabilities for performing the necessary diagnostics that doctors require before the heart is transplanted through the use of a wireless monitor." This way has been being used all over. This way the heart is securely safe, and easy to be
Cited: Arthur Caplan (AC) [Internet]. [updated 2007 May 21]. Pittsburgh (PA): Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania; [cited 2011 Nov 22]. Available from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18742817/ns/health-health_care/t/new-machine-keeps-heart-box-beating/#.TsvdEGOVozE Alex Ballingall (AB) [Internet]. [updated 2011 Nov 16]. Organ Care System, Organ Transplant, TransMedics; [cited 2011 Nov 22]. Available from http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/11/16/heart-in-a-box/ John Farrier (JF) [Internet]. [updated 2011 Aug 31]. Health, Living, Video Clips; [cited 2011 Nov 22]. Available from http://www.neatorama.com/2011/08/31/human-heart-beating-in-a-box/ Jennifer Bergen (JB) [Internet]. [updated 2011 Aug 31]. Organ Care System, Organ Transplant, TransMedics; [cited 2011 Nov 22]. Available from http://www.geek.com/articles/geek-cetera/forget-the-ice-chest-this-donor-heart-comes-warm-and-still-beating-in-a-box-20110831/ Andrew Kessel (AK) [Internet]. [updated 2009 June 20]. TransMedics Incorporated, TransMedics; [cited 2011 Nov 22]. Available from http://singularityhub.com/2009/06/20/transmedics-transplanting-a-real-beating-heart/