Topic: Girl's heart regenerates thanks to artificial assist

[Nemesis]

Link to full article

Doctors at the hospital implanted the Berlin Heart, a portable mechanical device that keeps blood pumping in an ailing heart, so she could survive until a transplant became available.

But over the next few months, Melissa's overall condition improved dramatically, and her heart muscle regained much of its strength. After 146 days on the Berlin Heart, Melissa underwent surgery to have the device removed.

"We thought the miracle was that the Berlin Heart would give us time to find the perfect donor heart for Melissa," said her mother, Sharon Mills, in a release. "We are overwhelmed that instead, the Berlin Heart gave her own heart time to rest and repair itself."

This isn't the first time I've heard of this type of thing.  I wonder why it isn't used more instead of going straight to the transplant.  If the artifical heart allows the natural one to heal isn't that better than a transplant?

[Centurus]

I would agree that it is better, but from what I've read, there isn't any guarantee that it would work every single time, or even in the majority of cases.  However, the benefits of just having more time to find a suitable transplant alone should make this device a necessary tool for all patients awaiting a heart transplant.  Also, if the heart managed to heal itself and return to normal fuction, that's even better.  This device could be the big step in developing an artificial heart that can take over all the functions of a natural heart, or perhaps give us the answers we need in order to repair the damaged heart, no matter the situation.  Regardless, this will take time, but I see it as very promising.

[Nemesis]

I would just like to hear about any research done to identify when this might be appropriate.  So far it seems that every time it happens the medical community treats it as a unique event.  People die waiting for new hearts.  If even 5% of those who get hearts could instead use a treatment like this the number of deaths could be reduced.  If it were 50% maybe the majority of the deaths just wouldn't happen.

A reason why it is apparently ignored would be nice.