FIRST ARTIFICIAL HEART IMPLANT IN ROMANIA

Student: Georgia Patricia MAGDA, IXth B grade; Coordinating teacher: Ioana Lacrimioara RADA; School: “Samuil Vulcan” National College

A man from Romania, aged 44, was born with a serious heart problem: his heart did not pump enough blood. The man had been on the waiting list for a heart transplant for a long time, but learned that there were other opportunities, such as an artificial heart implant. This is a new procedure in Romania, by which, patients who need a heart transplant will receive an "artificial heart". This "artificial heart" is actually a device that functions as a pump, regulating the activity of the heart muscle and heart rate. The device contains a battery which needs to be charged 6 to 6 hours, this not being though a problem for patients. The device looks like this:

 



Photos:http://intermountainhealthcare.org/hospitals/imed/services/heart-institute/services/failure-transplant-artificial/artificial-heart/Pages/bridge-to-transplant.aspx

Artificial heart implant operations in Romania are done only at the Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic within the Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and Transplant of Targu Mures.

             "There are still procedures that we haven’t done yet, procedures which provide a mechanical support for the circulation and also provide the so-called bridge to transplantation, for patients who have been on the waiting lists for a year or two and haven’t received a heart. We are now implementing these new procedures in our clinic, which basically consist in introducing an intrapericardial device that ensures the function of the heart. What people call artificial heart is a ventricular assist device to help circulation as their heart does not work properly anymore", said the head of the clinic, Horatiu Suciu.

            A bridge-to-transplantation, ventricular assist device (VAD), is used to support the patients who are too sick to wait for a donor heart to become available. The VAD allows the heart and other body systems to rest, heal, and grow stronger before the stress of transplant surgery. On average, patients remain on a LVAD (left ventricular assist device) for two to six months prior to transplantation. Many patients can return home during that time with more functional capacity than they had before this surgery to address congestive heart failure.

The man, named Florin Curca, was operated on the ^15th of January 2015, at the Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic within the Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and Transplant of Targu Mures. The day after surgery, the man felt ready to take life over again, but only after staying five weeks’ time in hospital was he allowed to go home.

            "The device works well. We are optimistic, confident. We performed well for a patient who deserved it. He's a young patient who had reached the end of conventional therapeutic resources", added Horatiu Suciu.

SOURCES:

1.      http://www.digi24.ro/Stiri/Digi24/Actualitate/Sanatate/Primul+pacient+din+Romania+supus+unui+implant+de+inima+artificia

2.      http://www.formaremedicala.ro/implant-de-inima-artificiala-romania/

3.      http://columbialvad.org/bridge_transplant.html

4.      http://intermountainhealthcare.org/hospitals/imed/services/heart-institute/services/failure-transplant-artificial/artificial-heart/Pages/bridge-to-transplant.aspx