Schroeder's struggle lasts 620 days.Schroeder's struggle lasts 620 days William J. Schroeder William J. Schroeder was one of the first recipients of an artificial heart. On November 25, 1984, Schroeder became the second human recipient of the Jarvik 7. After 18 days, he suffered the first of a series of strokes, eventually leaving him in a vegetative state. , the world'slongest-surviving recipient of a permanent artificial heart, died Aug. 7. While his death marks the end of a lengthy personal struggle, researchers continue to struggle with the limitations of the artificial heart. A retired federal worker, a diabeticand the father of six children, Schroeder had smoked cigarettes for 30 years when he quit in 1982. That year, he had his first heart attack; in 1983, he had another. Coronary bypass surgery Coronary bypass surgery A surgical procedure which places a shunt to allow blood to travel from the aorta to a branch of the coronary artery at a point past an obstruction. Mentioned in: Cardiac Catheterization, Thallium Heart Scan in 1983 failed to stabilize Schroeder's deteriorating heart, and other health problems arose. In late 1984, surgeons removed Schroeder's gallbladder, but they feared his heart would soon fail. William DeVries William C. DeVries (December 19, 1943 - ) is an American cardiothoracic surgeon, who performed the first successful permanent artificial heart implantation (on Barney Clark), using the Jarvik-7 model. of the Human HeartInstitute in Louisville, Ky., placed the plastic-and-metal Jarvik-7 artificial heart in Schroeder's chest one week later, on Nov. 25, 1984. Despite the success of the operation and Schroeder's initial exuberance, Schroeder soon began to suffer a series of unanticipated complications. Beginning only 18 days after receiving his new heart, Schroeder suffered strokes, seizures, depression, fever and a flulike illness, and received blood transfusions and a variety of drugs, including experimental medication. After 620 days, a fourth series of strokes and ensuing en·sue intr.v. en·sued, en·su·ing, en·sues 1. To follow as a consequence or result. See Synonyms at follow. 2. To take place subsequently. lung complications ended his ordeal. Part of the problem with artificialhearts lies in their imperfect replication of natural processes, including the natural production of a hormone involved in regulating blood pressure (SN:11/30/86, p.344). Artificial valves destroyed red blood cells Red blood cells Cells that carry hemoglobin (the molecule that transports oxygen) and help remove wastes from tissues throughout the body. Mentioned in: Bone Marrow Transplantation red blood cells , leading to anemia, and cause blood clots Blood Clots Definition A blood clot is a thickened mass in the blood formed by tiny substances called platelets. Clots form to stop bleeding, such as at the site of cut. , leading to strokes. Consequently, research has recently focused more on using artificial hearts as temporary devices to extend the lives of patients awaiting human donor hearts. Approximately 11 Americans now have temporary artificial hearts. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion