Heart Stop Beating - man lives without heart - Page 2

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  1. Asst. Admin
    Feb 9, '12 by
    I've been looking and couldn't find anything definative thanks!
  2. Feb 9, '12 by
    I've had several pts that have gone from my unit to Barnes (in St. Louis) to get LVADs. Unfortunately, as all their follow up gets done there, I haven't had the chance yet to care for someone with one. Everyone I can recall who got one had a ridiculous low EF and either weren't candidtes for a transplant or didn't have the time left to wait for one. I was reading an article in Prevention magazine where they quoted a cardiologist as saying we're just a small step away from being able to put complete artificial hearts in people. The stats quoted in the article for survival at one year for LVAD was 83%, for transplants 85%. Not sure what the medication regimen post-LVAD is, but I can imagine it might have significantly less side effects than the post-transplant meds.

    Pretty freaking cool stuff.
  3. Feb 9, '12 by
    Pretty interesting implications for aneurysms, stroke, PVD, COPD and a plethora of other concoms. You could maintain a constant perfusive pressure easily...
    CBsMommy likes this.
  4. Feb 9, '12 by
    This is fascinating to me, my nursing instructor keeps telling us that we will see so many advancements, and here is one! AMAZING. I wonder how these will work in the long term, I can't wait to see. Although I am curious about one thing, one RN commented about how it would be hard to get ABG's, perhaps being so new I am missing something, why would this complicate obtaining ABG's?? Thanks!
    Again, LOVE to see neat things like this coming along! Hallelujah for the free market system that allows for this type of advancement, I sure hope that "OBAMACARE" doesn't destroy our ability to keep making these advancements!
  5. Feb 9, '12 by
    Is this basically taking the technology of the LVAD to an extreme? Instead of placing a pump inside the heart, they replace the whole heart with a pump?

    Even though my unit does not work with LVAD patients, from what I understand they have no pulse either. I don't really know what they do for vitals, etc. A few of our nurses have worked in our CVICU and I am sure they could explain it to me (again).

    RainzRN: To get an ABG you generally feel for a pulse so you know where to stick. If there is no pulse, the only other way to know where an artery is would be (I believe) through use of ultrasound...not ideal in an emergency.
  6. Feb 9, '12 by
    Does anyone know if patients get discharged with a VAD? I know that the floor on my hospital that does care for VAD patients often has these patients for weeks to months. I don't know if that is because these particular patients are to sick to get discharged (although I see them walking the halls all the time), if they need to be admitted in case a transplant becomes available (again, seems excessive to me but this isn't my area of expertise), or if an LVAD requires continuous inpatient care. I could probably run down the hall next time I work and ask all these questions, but I don't work for a couple days
  7. Feb 9, '12 by
    Quote from IEDave
    This is news? Heck, my last boss didn't have a heart & he functioned well enough at age 56!

    Seriously - thanks for sharing. Wish that pump were available out thisaway; heard about a pt (of a friend's wife) that really could've used it.


    ----- Dave
    You beat me to it, but I was going to say it about Dick Cheney.
    whichone'spink likes this.
  8. Feb 9, '12 by
    Quote from RainzRN
    This is fascinating to me, my nursing instructor keeps telling us that we will see so many advancements, and here is one! AMAZING. I wonder how these will work in the long term, I can't wait to see. Although I am curious about one thing, one RN commented about how it would be hard to get ABG's, perhaps being so new I am missing something, why would this complicate obtaining ABG's?? Thanks!
    Again, LOVE to see neat things like this coming along! Hallelujah for the free market system that allows for this type of advancement, I sure hope that "OBAMACARE" doesn't destroy our ability to keep making these advancements!
    Don't worry..."Big Business/Big Pharma" will always trump any president, even Obama.
    *4!#6 likes this.
  9. Guide
    Feb 9, '12 by
    met a patient with this device just yesterday. No pulse. Just continuous flow. He is delighted with results. Surgery was done in Dallas
  10. Feb 9, '12 by
    Quote from beckster_01
    Does anyone know if patients get discharged with a VAD? I know that the floor on my hospital that does care for VAD patients often has these patients for weeks to months. I don't know if that is because these particular patients are to sick to get discharged (although I see them walking the halls all the time), if they need to be admitted in case a transplant becomes available (again, seems excessive to me but this isn't my area of expertise), or if an LVAD requires continuous inpatient care. I could probably run down the hall next time I work and ask all these questions, but I don't work for a couple days
    We have tons of LVADS living in the community. We see them in the ER all the time when they have issues, and have all the equipment available to care for them (heartmate models)

    I believe that this is becoming more common as LVADS can now be considered "destination therapy" as opposed to a "bridge to transplant".
    beckster_01 likes this.