Slashdot Mirror
Artificial Heart Recipient Has No Pulse
laggist writes "A heart patient in Singapore has been implanted with an artificial heart that pumps blood continuously, allowing her to live without a pulse. From the article: '... the petite Madam Salina, who suffers from end-stage heart failure, would not have been able to use the older and bulkier models because they can only be implanted in patients 1.7m or taller. The 30-year-old administrative assistant is the first recipient here to get a new artificial heart that pumps blood continuously, the reason why there are no beats on her wrist.'"
The story is light on details, but an article from last year in MIT's Technology Review explains a bit more about how a pulse-less artificial heart works.
First pulse.
"Paramedics/Doctors: Do not write me off as dead. Try to resuscitate"
...but I definitely see the need for a special Medic Alert badge for this.
This probably wouldn't happen cause of medical history and all that jazz, but that aside, it'd be priceless to see a nurse unaware of the circumstance trying to take her pulse..
With hundreds of millions of years of evolution, are there any systems in the human body that are dependent on the pulse to function properly?
See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
The easiest way of moving a fluid is with a fan. It's trivial to make an artificial heart that works like that, but it has a disadvantage; the fan blades damage the blood cells. A few devices that work like this have been around for a while for emergency use (e.g. if the heart stops in the middle of an operation), but they can't be used for more than a couple of days without killing the patient (having a few blood cells killed is generally better than having no blood flowing, so they're fine for short-term use). I don't know how they solved that problem for this machine.
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
The article doesn't address this, but I'm a little concerned by the idea of a pulseless system. On the one hand, there is no pressure spike, but on the other hand, the pressure never lets up. I'[m curious what effect this sort of device will have on strokes and other blood flow disturbances. The steady pulse-and-release rhythm constantly tugs at potential clots in different directions, presumably breaking up many incipient clots. Will a steady flow system do the same?
$_ = "wftedskaebjgdpjgidbsmnjgcdwatb"; tr/a-z/oh, turtleneck Phrase Jar!/; print
What are the drawbacks?
Welcome to the afterlife, Jean-Luc. You're dead.
Or even more so, how do machines or the nurses/doctors see you're still living if you're temporary unconscious (maybe a few too many beers?) and your pulse is zero. Then they'll declare you dead and dig you to graveyard. Nice place to wake up after a night of partying.
You know,
piston engine go boing boing boing... rotary go mmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
Automated external defibrillators, such as the Physio-Control LifePak 500, will only administer a shock if they detect a valid shockable rhythm, i.e. ventricular fibrillation. This AED will not shock anyone or anything that does not have that rhythm present.
Manual external defibrillators, such as the Physio-Control LifePak 12, which may only be used by EMT-I or EMT-P (Paramedics) in my home state, can be used to administer a shock regardless of the presence or absence of any cardiac rhythm. This requires a manual override, and from what I have seen, is used even less often than the precordial thump.
Welcome to the afterlife, Jean-Luc. You're dead.
No, I am not dead. Because I refuse to believe that the afterlife is run by you. The universe is not so badly designed.
Having always had a heartbeat since birth, I can only assume that I can feel it beat, but am ignoring it. Obviously there are exceptions where I can very much feel and hear my pulse, and am very well aware of it.
She'll never feel that again.
Does she notice?
That has already been done with Star Trek TNG, Episode 148, where a Takaran sabotaged a test and faked his own death in order to discredit a Ferengi scientist and steal the metaphysic shield technology for use as a weapon.
I think you just proved that what you heard was wrong.
I shall now have to amend my requirements for women that I will have sex with.
Pulse now optional.
"Was it a millionaire who said 'Imagine No Posessions?'" -- Elvis Costello
This device is bladeless. In fact, one of the major advantages of this artificial heart compared to the traditional ones, is that this damages less blood cells than all other artificial "pulsed" devices. It has other benefits, like smaller size and less energy consumption. Overall, it's a greatly improved system.
"The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
Snipers have to concentrate to manage their heart rates and time their shots between beats. A little practice and we've now got the world's quickest shot at 1,000 meters.
She is holding a Heart Mate II pump...most of our patients get this model...and NONE have a regular pulse. Funny since this is just breaking news and St Lukes Heart Transplant do it day in and day out, for a loooong time.
When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail
I aint'n't dead!
Brain surgery - it's not rocket science!
the technical term for those wondering (this is/. afterall) is paristaltic pump
Even more than that.. I want to see the eyes of the nurse that doesn't know her condition when she checks her blood pressure...
What are we going to do tonight Brain?
Almost as good as smoking through that little hole in your neck.
Oh damn! I thought that what it was for. A cigarette, after all, fits the hole perfectly.
I just made an appointment with my surgeon to have it fitted for cigars, too.
Actually, it means you're a Slashdotter.
Whether that's good or bad is left as an exercise to the reader.
How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
According to the MIT write-up, you still have blood pressure. The device would pump more or less blood based on your body's need at the time. What you would NOT have is a systolic/diastolic reading. You'd have one pressure reading. No more 110/70 reading, perhaps a 85mmHg in its place.
And how would that be measured (non-invasively)? Blood pressure is read by squeezing off the artery and listening and watching for the various points in the pulse. If there is no pulse, there is no measurement.
Remember, You are unique...just like everyone else.
Welcome to the afterlife, Jean-Luc. You're dead.
No, I am not dead. Because I refuse to believe that the afterlife is run by you. The universe is not so badly designed.
Blasphemy! I should... cast you out, or smite you, or something.
In Soviet Russia jokes are formulaic and decidedly non-humorous.
What are the drawbacks?
Well, I'm going to have to relax my "anything with a pulse" criterion...
Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?