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Russo 1
Theresa Russo
English 1020
Curation Project
Professor Trillo
April 28, 2014
Abiomed AbioCor Heart
The AbioCor heart is the world’s first c (www.heartdisease.about.com). Furthermore, the
artificial heart weighs ompletely self-contained replacement heart (www.Abiomed.com ). It was
created by the Massachusetts based company, Abiomed (www.wikipedia.com). After three
decades of research the AbioCor heart has successfully been produced to make heart failure not
end ones’ life or the ability to enjoy life. This artificial heart is created for patients who have
heart failure and other treatment options have failed for them. This is created so that a patient can
continue a normal lifestyle. Furthermore, the AbioCor has an internal motor and it is able to
pump blood through the lungs and to the rest of the body, stimulating the rhythm of a heartbeat
(www.Abiomed.com). The AbioCor consists of an internal thoracic unit, an internal
rechargeable battery, an internal miniaturized electronics package and an external battery pack
(www.Abiomed.com). The device is completely self-contained within the body, and there are no
tubes or lines protruding through the skinabout 2 pounds and the internal battery pack can
provide up to 20 minutes of operation while disconnected from the main battery pack
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(www.texasheart.org). According to www.Abiomed.com the AbioCor heart is indicated for use in
severe bi ventricular end stage heart disease patients who are not cardiac transplant candidates
and who: are less than 75 years old, require multiple inotropic supports, are not treatable by
LVAD destination therapy, and are not weanable from bi-ventricular support if on such support.
Also, according to www.wikipedia.com the patient must be likely to die within two weeks without
transplantation of the AbioCor heart. The first AbioCor heart was implanted on Robert Tools in
2001 at the Jewish Hospital in Louisville Kentucky and he lived for 151 days. The second patient
was named Tom Chisterson, who had a 20% chance left of surviving after his surgery, was given
the artificial heart and lived for 512 days (www.wikipedia.com). As of September 2004[update],
14 patients have been implanted with the AbioCor heart and the study showed that the device is
safe and has likely benefit for people with severe heart failure whose death is imminent and for
whom no alternative treatments are available (www.wikipedia.com). In two cases, the device
extended survival by 10 and 17 months respectively, and one patient was discharged from the
hospital to go home (www.wikipedia.com).
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The AbioCor heart has made a significant positive effect on the 21st century. This
artificial heart has many reasons why it is positive. The first reason is because it is approved by
the Food and Drug Association. The FDA has determined that the AbioCor is safe and provides a
benefit to people with heart failure (www.ehow.com). Second, the AbioCor furthers the life of
heart failure patients who are expected to die. This heart prolongs life so that patients can spend
more quality time with friends and family. A third reason why it is positive for the 21St century is
because it makes patients healthier. With heart failure come many other health issues and
complications, so the AbioCor heart keeps the body maintaining its duties. Besides the fact that
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the AbioCor promotes life, another positive is that the Abiomed's AbioCor total replacement
heart is covered by health insurance companies, including main companies like Cigna and
Humana. With health insurance rates as high as they are, it is positive that patients that receive
the replacement heart have the option for full reimbursement. Also, the risk of infection is a lot
lower since the AbioCor heart is implanted inside the body. Other heart failure devices have been
known to create infections that permeate the skin; therefore the AbioCor removes this risk. This
invention is only going to expand from here. The AbioCor is reassuring for patients who have
heart failure and are not able to receive a donor by the time they need. This heart provides future
advancement in technology for the medical field for other artificial organs to be invented. Heart
disease is the number one cause of death in the United States and in the world so the AbioCor
heart in the future will remove heart disease from the top spot.
Overall, the Abiomed artificial heart is world’s first advancement for heart issues.
Nothing is worse than lying in a hospital bed, expected to die any day from heart failure. The
AbioCor heart reassures patients that they will have a longer survival rate. Many people do not
realize how precious life is until they are faced with major health issues. The AbioCor heart
gives the biggest gift anyone in the world can ever receive, the gift of life.
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Works
1."AbioCor Implantable Replacement Heart - Texas Heart Institute - Heart Assist Devices." AbioCor
Implantable Replacement Heart - Texas Heart Institute - Heart Assist Devices. N.p., n.d. Web. 21
Apr. 2014.
2."AbioCor." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Apr. 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
"Abiomed." AbioCor ». N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.
3. Forgoros, Richard N. "The Abiocor Artificial Heart." About.com Heart Health Center. N.p., 5
July 2001. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
4. Writer, Contributing. "What Are the Benefits of an Artificial Heart?" EHow. Demand Media, 07
Nov. 2009. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.