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Man kept his old heart in the cupboard
30 years ago, the first German patient received an artificial heart. The seriously ill man did not live there after that much longer. Since then, a lot has happened. Today, there are far fewer complications and the quality of life has improved significantly for the majority of those affected.
Not enough donor organs
According to the German Foundation for Organ Transplantation (DSO), currently more than 10,000 seriously ill patients in Germany are waiting for a donor organ. Some have to be taken off the waiting list because of poor general condition, others die because no organ is available on time. While it is gratifying that the number of organ donors has risen again after years of decline, these are still far from sufficient. If patients need a heart, it is often possible to use an artificial organ. The metal pumps have been implanted in Germany for 30 years now. The news agency dpa reports on the first patient, who was used in this country an artificial heart and what has been done since.
Thirty years ago the first artificial heart was implanted in Germany, since then many new options have opened up. (Image: Köpenicker / fotolia.com) Artificial heart to remember in the living room cabinet
For two years, Frank Baier (name changed) had two hearts in his chest: his own, too weak heart and an artificial heart, which took over the work in large part. Today, Baier keeps the artificial heart in his living room cabinet as a souvenir. "I am glad that I am going again," said the 50-year-old. He is nevertheless grateful to the artificial pump - after all, she has saved his life. Artificial Hearts have been around for 30 years now. The human heart can - unlike other muscles - regenerate when it can recover for a while. The artificial hearts help. The reason why the heart can regenerate is not yet clear. "The heart muscle has other mechanisms that have not all been explored," said Thomas Krabatsch, Senior Physician at the German Heart Center Berlin (DHZB).
Charged batteries for the heart at the cigarette lighter
According to dpa, the suffering began with Baier in January 2011. "I did not feel well, could hardly breathe. Since my wife has brought an ambulance, "said the Berliner. As he explained, memories did not set in until he woke up from the coma in the heart center - a month later. "My first thoughts were: Where am I here, what's next to me?" From his stomach, a cable loomed, connecting the artificial heart with batteries and controllers stored in a pocket by his bed. "I wanted to get rid of the thing immediately, but have slowly understood that it remains with me day and night," said Baier, who had a severe heart muscle inflammation at that time. "The worst thing was that I was not allowed to shower and bathe anymore." The danger of a short circuit or a new infection was just too big. Baier could rely on the technology: "The device has never failed." He had to charge the two rechargeable batteries with six hours each. "That was also possible during a drive with the cigarette lighter. And at night I could connect the batteries to the power outlet and sleep soundly, "said the former dealer.
First patient did not live long
In the past, patients were far less flexible. "About ten years ago, the pumps were powered by compressors that were the size of a refrigerator," Krabatsch explained. And when Emil Bücherl implanted the artificial heart of the first patient in Berlin 30 years ago in Berlin, mobility was out of the question. The "Berlin Art Heart" developed by him was a sensation at that time, the doctor as one of the pioneers in the field. His first patient lived only briefly. After he had been used on March 7, 1986, the artificial pump, the 39 old patient only four days later, a donor heart and died shortly thereafter of complications. But a lot has happened since then. "Today, patients can go home with their heart support system, there are significantly fewer complications, and the duration is definitely longer," said the spokesman for the German Society of Cardiology, Johannes Gehron.
Patient has lived without complications for ten years
In the past, patients would have to reckon with problems such as strokes after just three or four years. "Now, a patient has been presented at the Hannover Medical School who has been free of complications for ten years," says Gehron. Years ago, the MHH reported on the European record, which they achieved with the heart support system "Heartmate II". In 2014, a new artificial heart of the type "Heartmate III" was implanted for the first time worldwide at the clinic in Lower Saxony. Nationwide, the number of art hearts used each year has almost tripled from 2005 to 2015 to 1,000 pieces.
Ideally, artificial heart is replaced by donor heart
Ideally, an artificial heart will later be replaced by a donor heart. However, the number of donors could not meet the rising demand. According to data from the German Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (DGTHG), the number of heart transplants decreased again in 2015, from 294 in 2014 to 283 in the previous record year of 1998, there were 526 heart transplants. The DGTHG is worried about another downtrend. The physicians therefore dream of an artificial heart without cables, which can be totally implanted. According to Krabatsch, it happened that patients pinched the cable unnoticed in a car door and died. Or in a traffic jam and the batteries could not charge. Frank Baier is no longer dependent on outlets today: "I did not want to live on permanently," he said, looking at the device. Of course, he was fortunate enough that his doctor dared the intervention at that time. According to the dpa, around 2,250 patients at the heart center in Berlin have received an artificial pump since the 1980s. Only with 100 of them the artificial heart could be removed again. It is said that only in three of these patients was one's own heart not strong enough in the long run. "They needed an artificial heart again," says Krabatsch. (Ad)