Smallest Artificial Heart Saves Baby's Life

**plasty** · 05-28-12 at 07:53 AM

World's Smallest Artificial Heart Saves Baby's Life

In today's feel good story, doctors in Italy successfully implanted this lil titanium pump into the chest of a 16-month old boy to act as his heart until a donor heart was found. Just don't go thinking about how you find another 16-month old heart for transplant, because I just did and now I've got the sads :(

The doctors at Rome's Bambino Gesu hospital said the operation was carried out last month and made public this week. The baby, whose identity has not been disclosed, was kept alive for 13 days before the transplant and is now doing well.
The tiny titanium pump weighs only 11 grams and can handle a blood flow of 1.5 liters a minute. An artificial heart for adults weighs 900 grams.
"This is a milestone," surgeon Antonio Amodeo told Reuters television, adding that while the device was now used as bridge leading to a transplant, in the future it could be permanent.

Hoho -- science used for good for a change! Also, I doubt it's actually the world's smallest artificial heart, just the world's smallest artificial heart for a human. Because I guarantee there's some scientist out there who's made an artificial heart for a mouse before. "Stop wasting your time and just feed the damn thing to a snake," I imagine his colleagues told him.

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http://www.geekologie.com/2012/05/worlds-smallest-artificial-heart-saves-b.php

Adanaliyik · 05-28-12 at 08:21 AM

Let's hope that no one has to die to give this kid a new heart (like you said, depressing to think about). Instead, lets hope it holds out until technology makes them more permanent. Of course, the kid will still have to go through operations to implant larger hearts when he outgrows them. But that's less depressing than the other line of thought...

:)

**Omega_Prime** · 05-28-12 at 09:09 AM

It is good that we have the technology for it and if it was my child, I would do all my best to save it but really.. is this life worth this much effort?

Adanaliyik · 05-28-12 at 09:14 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Omega_Prime

It is good that we have the technology for it and if it was my child, I would do all my best to save it but really.. is this life worth this much effort?

You answered your own question, when you said "if it was my child"...

:)

Nunki · 05-28-12 at 10:06 AM

yeah but omega asked the second question not as a parent.
Parents are know to protect their children even after they are dead.
The question at hand is, is it worth to keep that child alive.
The OP costs a fortune, so does the heart. Transplant, lifelong on meds etc.
On the other hand, this kid could very well be the next Picasso, Einstein or devil incarnate.
I guess it is a question of how you look at it.
I for one like to see the kid get a chance. He has proven to be a fighter already :)
Go rocky!

Adanaliyik · 05-28-12 at 10:21 AM

My response to Omega was how I see it even as an outsider looking in. The kids parents are doing everything they can to give the child a fighting chance. And, the doctor himself probably has kids, and hopes some other doctor will help his kid if it isn't his heart that's bad.

But, I'll play bad guy on this one too, for the sake of argument. This baby is worth the trouble in advertising alone. How many rich or well to do people will pay through the nose to get their kids the same type of operation, if they need it? So, by being successful, even if it were on a homeless orphan, there is profit in doing the operation.

However, I like my altruistic answer better. The kid's family thinks the kid is worth it. And if it happens to us, we should hope that others think it's worthwhile too...

:)

Bladerunner182us · 05-28-12 at 10:22 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Omega_Prime

It is good that we have the technology for it and if it was my child, I would do all my best to save it but really.. is this life worth this much effort?

I think your name-sake had the most appropriate answer to your question. "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings."

**Omega_Prime** · 05-28-12 at 10:25 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Bladerunner182us

I think your name-sake had the most appropriate answer to your question. "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings."

That is freedom not life. Freedom is the right of all beings but life, not necessarily. All life whether we like it or not has a price on its head. Some people are worth more, others less.

The question to this child is, what are the chances of survival - what impact does this have on finances (I do not know if this is funded by the parents or not) because if it is the case of saving 10 humans instead of 1 child, it would be those 10 humans all the time.

Bladerunner182us · 05-28-12 at 10:30 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Omega_Prime

That is freedom not life. Freedom is the right of all beings but life, not necessarily. All life whether we like it or not has a price on its head. Some people are worth more, others less.

The question to this child is, what are the chances of survival - what impact does this have on finances (I do not know if this is funded by the parents or not) because if it is the case of saving 10 humans instead of 1 child, it would be those 10 humans all the time.

Freedom is defined as the pursuit of LIFE liberty and happiness though. Also the right to an opinion, im not trying to argue I just saw a significant correlation between the two is all and a slight irony, but I have to go, being a veteran and all I have people to see today whose right to life was given up...

Adanaliyik · 05-28-12 at 10:31 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Omega_Prime

That is freedom not life. Freedom is the right of all beings but life, not necessarily. All life whether we like it or not has a price on its head. Some people are worth more, others less.

The question to this child is, what are the chances of survival - what impact does this have on finances (I do not know if this is funded by the parents or not) because if it is the case of saving 10 humans instead of 1 child, it would be those 10 humans all the time.

Quote:

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one - Spock in The Wrath of Khan

Cold comfort for the parents of any child, and a point of view I hope doesn't show up if I'm ever in the same situation...

:(

**MacFalic** · 05-28-12 at 02:07 PM

Amen!

By helping this kid to live, science is able to advance that much further in its ability to save\prolong the life of all ages. And yes, I believe all life is important, even if it is those whom I might, or desire to kill. As in failed scientific experiments, evil people can serve as bad examples from which to learn.

**L1b3rta** · 05-28-12 at 02:18 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Omega_Prime

It is good that we have the technology for it and if it was my child, I would do all my best to save it but really.. is this life worth this much effort?

Why not?

05-28-12 at 10:30 AM	#9
Bladerunner182us Newcomer Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2	Quote: Originally Posted by Omega_Prime That is freedom not life. Freedom is the right of all beings but life, not necessarily. All life whether we like it or not has a price on its head. Some people are worth more, others less. The question to this child is, what are the chances of survival - what impact does this have on finances (I do not know if this is funded by the parents or not) because if it is the case of saving 10 humans instead of 1 child, it would be those 10 humans all the time. Freedom is defined as the pursuit of LIFE liberty and happiness though. Also the right to an opinion, im not trying to argue I just saw a significant correlation between the two is all and a slight irony, but I have to go, being a veteran and all I have people to see today whose right to life was given up... Last edited by Bladerunner182us; 05-28-12 at 10:40 AM. Reason: SP

05-28-12 at 02:07 PM	#11
MacFalic Sleeps with Kuune Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Land of Cunning Sheep Posts: 847	Amen! By helping this kid to live, science is able to advance that much further in its ability to save\prolong the life of all ages. And yes, I believe all life is important, even if it is those whom I might, or desire to kill. As in failed scientific experiments, evil people can serve as bad examples from which to learn. Last edited by MacFalic; 05-28-12 at 02:10 PM.

05-28-12 at 08:21 AM	#2
Adanaliyik Master Join Date: May 2012 Location: Turkey Posts: 1,162	Let's hope that no one has to die to give this kid a new heart (like you said, depressing to think about). Instead, lets hope it holds out until technology makes them more permanent. Of course, the kid will still have to go through operations to implant larger hearts when he outgrows them. But that's less depressing than the other line of thought... :)

05-28-12 at 09:09 AM	#3
Omega_Prime Autobot Supreme Commander Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 3,570	It is good that we have the technology for it and if it was my child, I would do all my best to save it but really.. is this life worth this much effort?

05-28-12 at 09:14 AM	#4
Adanaliyik Master Join Date: May 2012 Location: Turkey Posts: 1,162	Quote: Originally Posted by Omega_Prime It is good that we have the technology for it and if it was my child, I would do all my best to save it but really.. is this life worth this much effort? You answered your own question, when you said "if it was my child"... :)

05-28-12 at 10:06 AM	#5
Nunki Novice Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Terra Posts: 173	yeah but omega asked the second question not as a parent. Parents are know to protect their children even after they are dead. The question at hand is, is it worth to keep that child alive. The OP costs a fortune, so does the heart. Transplant, lifelong on meds etc. On the other hand, this kid could very well be the next Picasso, Einstein or devil incarnate. I guess it is a question of how you look at it. I for one like to see the kid get a chance. He has proven to be a fighter already :) Go rocky!

05-28-12 at 10:21 AM	#6
Adanaliyik Master Join Date: May 2012 Location: Turkey Posts: 1,162	My response to Omega was how I see it even as an outsider looking in. The kids parents are doing everything they can to give the child a fighting chance. And, the doctor himself probably has kids, and hopes some other doctor will help his kid if it isn't his heart that's bad. But, I'll play bad guy on this one too, for the sake of argument. This baby is worth the trouble in advertising alone. How many rich or well to do people will pay through the nose to get their kids the same type of operation, if they need it? So, by being successful, even if it were on a homeless orphan, there is profit in doing the operation. However, I like my altruistic answer better. The kid's family thinks the kid is worth it. And if it happens to us, we should hope that others think it's worthwhile too... :)

05-28-12 at 10:22 AM	#7
Bladerunner182us Newcomer Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2	Quote: Originally Posted by Omega_Prime It is good that we have the technology for it and if it was my child, I would do all my best to save it but really.. is this life worth this much effort? I think your name-sake had the most appropriate answer to your question. "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings."

05-28-12 at 10:25 AM	#8
Omega_Prime Autobot Supreme Commander Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 3,570	Quote: Originally Posted by Bladerunner182us I think your name-sake had the most appropriate answer to your question. "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings." That is freedom not life. Freedom is the right of all beings but life, not necessarily. All life whether we like it or not has a price on its head. Some people are worth more, others less. The question to this child is, what are the chances of survival - what impact does this have on finances (I do not know if this is funded by the parents or not) because if it is the case of saving 10 humans instead of 1 child, it would be those 10 humans all the time.

05-28-12 at 10:31 AM	#10
Adanaliyik Master Join Date: May 2012 Location: Turkey Posts: 1,162	Quote: Originally Posted by Omega_Prime That is freedom not life. Freedom is the right of all beings but life, not necessarily. All life whether we like it or not has a price on its head. Some people are worth more, others less. The question to this child is, what are the chances of survival - what impact does this have on finances (I do not know if this is funded by the parents or not) because if it is the case of saving 10 humans instead of 1 child, it would be those 10 humans all the time. Quote: The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one - Spock in The Wrath of Khan Cold comfort for the parents of any child, and a point of view I hope doesn't show up if I'm ever in the same situation... :(

05-28-12 at 02:18 PM	#12
L1b3rta Guru Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 6,003	Quote: Originally Posted by Omega_Prime It is good that we have the technology for it and if it was my child, I would do all my best to save it but really.. is this life worth this much effort? Why not?