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Bridging to transplant: mechanical support for heart failure
Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America
|December 1, 1993
Summary
Mechanical circulatory support devices offer hope for end-stage heart failure patients. As these technologies advance, they may soon rival heart transplantation as a viable treatment option.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
- Transplantation Science
Background:
- Cardiac transplantation success is constrained by donor organ scarcity, leading to increased patient risk during waiting periods.
- Temporary mechanical support devices, termed "bridges to transplant," currently sustain cardiac function for patients awaiting organ donors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and potential of permanent mechanical circulatory support systems as an alternative to cardiac transplantation.
- To assess the trajectory of mechanical support effectiveness in potentially matching current transplant survival rates.
Main Methods:
- Review of data from temporary mechanical support devices to infer the feasibility of permanent solutions.
- Analysis of trends in mechanical support reliability and effectiveness.
Main Results:
- Temporary support devices demonstrate the feasibility of permanent cardiac replacement technology.
- Improving reliability suggests mechanical support effectiveness may soon approximate transplant survival rates.
Conclusions:
- Permanent mechanical circulatory support systems are nearing reality, offering a potential alternative to cardiac transplantation.
- These devices may provide effective treatment for individuals with end-stage heart failure, expanding therapeutic options.