Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

orein123 t1_iv8lc4e wrote

The only thing the heart does to keep the body alive is circulate blood. If you hook soneone up to a machine that keeps their blood pumping, then they don't really need their heart, at least for a time. With modern technology, infection and overall practicality of moving around with such a machine make doing so ineffective in the long run, but it works plenty long enough for surgery.

28

Taykeyero t1_iv8s0li wrote

And there's no bypass machine small enough to tote around. These things, fully configured are like 48x36x70 inches and weigh a couple hundred lbs and require electric power. They also require an oxygen feed as they not only circulate but oxygenate your blood. They also require a trained specialist to operate..known as a perfusionist. They are called heart/lung bypass machines. I know this from having heart surgery but also because I am a medical planner and have done several cardiac surgery suites.

25

yournakeddad t1_ivbxlrm wrote

Some people waiting for a new heart or who aren’t candidates for heart transplant get something called an LVAD (left ventricular assist device). The device is implanted in their heart and they carry the control system and batteries around with them in a backpack and it pushes the blood through their body! You can live for a decade or more with this thing!

These people don’t have a pulse because the flow is continuous. It’s a little unsettling when you try to feel for one.

3

Tools4toys t1_ivc4u9l wrote

My SO worked at a school where there was a student who attended school for 6 months with a LVAD device. As described it was a backpack powered device and the student was able to attend school normally. My SO was an employee at the school and was trained to be able to provide assistance if needed to the student. The student later received a heart transplant and no longer needed the LVAD device. Unfortunately they died approximately 5-6 years after the transplant.

3

harkhinz OP t1_iva4kwa wrote

Wow, I'm ignorant of a lot of things in medicine, I used to think that once the heart stops, the body goes dead.

2

orein123 t1_ivbd6l9 wrote

Gets even better when we acknowledge the fact that our medical definition of "dead" is very convoluted. Dying isn't something that happens all at once, so pinpointing the exact moment someone dies is a bit tricky.

2

fishmakegoodpets t1_iva7frf wrote

Technically, yes. When the heart stops beating a person is “dead”. CPR is performed on technically dead patients.

−1

Darkranger23 t1_ivb9tdw wrote

That's not true at all. CPR is performed in the field on non-responsive patients who aren't breathing. Depending on level of training, you may or may not bother looking for a pulse.

In hospitals, CPR will be performed when the heart stops moving blood effectively. There are several ineffective rhythms the heart may be in. None of which would classify the patient as dead.

5