Heart in a box

“Heart in a box” is a portable heart perfusion system. It is still being tested through clinical trials in the US but is already being used in parts of Europe and Australia (Suchetka, 2011). Instead of putting the heart to be transplanted on ice and in a cooler for transport, the heart is put in the chamber pictured above. This system pumps warm oxygenated blood while still beating and still allows for tests to be done on the heart before it is put into the recipient. Typically, the donor heart can remain on ice in a cooler for about four hours before complications can occur but with heart in a box, the heart can survive for up to twelve hours (Suchetka, 2011).

I think this is an amazing invention and may change how heart transplantation is performed in the future in America. I also took a look at the company who creates this technology, Transmedics, and it also looks like they are creating similar transplant technology for lungs and livers as well (“TransMedics,” 2015). This type of technology could possibly decrease post operative complications because the heart was monitored throughout the entire transplant process (Suchetka, 2011). Meaning, less complications for critical care nurses when taking care of post-operative heart transplant patients. I think some questions arise from this type of technology as well. Do patients who have this type of transplant live longer? Is there really a chance of less complication in the long run? I am excited to see what the results of the clinical trials being done at the eight hospitals in the US have in store for the future.

References

Suchetka, D. (2011, August 19). ‘heart in a box’ invention allows transplant hearts to remain outside the body for 12 hours. Retrieved from http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2012/08/heart_in_a_box_invention_to_ex.html

Transmedics. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.transmedics.com/wt/page/index