Why heart pumps could kill off the transplant

The Times (of London) ^ | 2 Nov 08 | Lois Rogers

[alnitak]

When the South African surgeon Christiaan Barnard carried out the first heart transplant in December 1967, the world held its breath. His patient, 53-year-old Lewis Washkansky, lived for only another 18 days. The drugs he needed to stop his body rejecting the new organ compromised his immune system to such an extent he couldn’t fight off other illnesses, and he died of pneumonia. But the precedent had been set: the most powerful and emotionally iconic of human organs could be taken from the body of a dead person to give the chance of an extended life to another. It was a transforming, era-defining moment that reinforced our faith in medical science and ensured Barnard’s place in history. But how successful would heart transplantation be in the long term?

[alnitak]

Much much more over at the link. Very interesting article that talks about the development of heart pumps, and the decline in heart transplantations.

A useful antidote for those suffering from election overload! (the article, not the pump, that's just unfortunate juxtapostion :-)

[astyanax]

...the most powerful and emotionally iconic of human organs...

I'd have to vote for the brain...
;o)
But thanks for the break!
Nice to see something other than politics...
My heart(!) rate is already through the roof.