Mechanical Heart Sustains Life for Coronado Resident
Henry Sánchez's journey with heart failure leads to groundbreaking mechanical heart treatment.
At the age of 56, Henry Sánchez of Coronado experienced a sudden heart failure, which rapidly progressed to terminal heart failure.
He had been previously healthy, enjoying an active life with good dietary habits, but the heart attack came unexpectedly and was compounded by significant damage to his heart.
Symptoms such as fatigue and difficulty breathing emerged even during light activities.
Despite the availability of donor organs, a heart transplant was not viable due to increased pulmonary pressure, which disqualified him as a transplant candidate.
Surgeons, led by thoracic surgeon Luis Carlos Montero Salas, sought alternative solutions, admitting Sánchez to the Calderón Guardia Hospital several times for treatment.
In August of the previous year, Sánchez received a 'mechanical heart' at Calderón Guardia Hospital.
The innovative device, supported by a specialist from the United States, is a centrifugal pump designed to circulate blood.
It functions without the typical contraction movements of a biological heart and instead operates based on centrifugation, effectively distributing blood throughout the body.
Sánchez remarked on his new lease on life, expressing gratitude for the procedure that has vastly improved his ability to perform daily activities, including climbing stairs and previously impossible tasks.
He now considers August 16, 2024, as a second birthday, attributing his recovery to the advanced medical intervention.
The diagnosis of terminal heart failure presents up to a 50% mortality rate within six months of diagnosis for many patients.
Medical professionals stress the importance of alternative treatments to prevent patients from quickly falling into this statistic.
An effective device is crucial for patients whose hearts can no longer pump blood adequately, as ineffective blood circulation can lead to organ failure.
The device installed in Sánchez is called HeartMate III.
It pumps blood from the heart to the body through a graft connected to the aorta, serving to facilitate blood circulation efficiently.
It is designed to assist the heart during periods when it cannot function effectively on its own.
The HeartMate III requires a control unit located in the patient's abdomen, which monitors its performance.
This unit is external to the skin, whereas the device itself resides partially within the heart.
The mechanical heart is powered by batteries that must be charged regularly, lasting approximately 15 to 17 hours each.
An audible alert warns Sánchez one and a half hours before the batteries are expected to fail, allowing him time to replace them.
He sleeps connected to an outlet to ensure the device remains charged overnight.
Sánchez noted that the sound of his heartbeats has changed to resemble electronic music, and he no longer has a conventional pulse due to the altered blood circulation method.
Post-surgery, Sánchez underwent extensive recovery, spending two months in intensive care before returning home.
Care routines include maintaining a healthy diet, ensuring the device is charged, safeguarding the control unit from moisture, and avoiding contact sports due to the anticoagulant therapy he requires.
This operation marks the second application of such a mechanical heart device in Central America, following a previous case at the same hospital in a patient from Goicoechea, who utilized the device as a temporary measure.
He had been previously healthy, enjoying an active life with good dietary habits, but the heart attack came unexpectedly and was compounded by significant damage to his heart.
Symptoms such as fatigue and difficulty breathing emerged even during light activities.
Despite the availability of donor organs, a heart transplant was not viable due to increased pulmonary pressure, which disqualified him as a transplant candidate.
Surgeons, led by thoracic surgeon Luis Carlos Montero Salas, sought alternative solutions, admitting Sánchez to the Calderón Guardia Hospital several times for treatment.
In August of the previous year, Sánchez received a 'mechanical heart' at Calderón Guardia Hospital.
The innovative device, supported by a specialist from the United States, is a centrifugal pump designed to circulate blood.
It functions without the typical contraction movements of a biological heart and instead operates based on centrifugation, effectively distributing blood throughout the body.
Sánchez remarked on his new lease on life, expressing gratitude for the procedure that has vastly improved his ability to perform daily activities, including climbing stairs and previously impossible tasks.
He now considers August 16, 2024, as a second birthday, attributing his recovery to the advanced medical intervention.
The diagnosis of terminal heart failure presents up to a 50% mortality rate within six months of diagnosis for many patients.
Medical professionals stress the importance of alternative treatments to prevent patients from quickly falling into this statistic.
An effective device is crucial for patients whose hearts can no longer pump blood adequately, as ineffective blood circulation can lead to organ failure.
The device installed in Sánchez is called HeartMate III.
It pumps blood from the heart to the body through a graft connected to the aorta, serving to facilitate blood circulation efficiently.
It is designed to assist the heart during periods when it cannot function effectively on its own.
The HeartMate III requires a control unit located in the patient's abdomen, which monitors its performance.
This unit is external to the skin, whereas the device itself resides partially within the heart.
The mechanical heart is powered by batteries that must be charged regularly, lasting approximately 15 to 17 hours each.
An audible alert warns Sánchez one and a half hours before the batteries are expected to fail, allowing him time to replace them.
He sleeps connected to an outlet to ensure the device remains charged overnight.
Sánchez noted that the sound of his heartbeats has changed to resemble electronic music, and he no longer has a conventional pulse due to the altered blood circulation method.
Post-surgery, Sánchez underwent extensive recovery, spending two months in intensive care before returning home.
Care routines include maintaining a healthy diet, ensuring the device is charged, safeguarding the control unit from moisture, and avoiding contact sports due to the anticoagulant therapy he requires.
This operation marks the second application of such a mechanical heart device in Central America, following a previous case at the same hospital in a patient from Goicoechea, who utilized the device as a temporary measure.
