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| Picture from the episode "Heart-Shaped Box" of Grey's Anatomy. |
The first time I heard the term “heart in a box” was during an episode of Greys Anatomy. I remember Dr. Yang being mesmerized by how a heart was beating and working inside of a box. As I start to research more about it, I feel a little like she did back then.
TransMedics created the Organ Care System (OCS) a new device used during heart, lungs, and kidney transplants that allows the organ to never stop working. Usually when someone is going to receive a transplant the organ is flushed free of blood with a specially prepared ice-cold preservation solution that contains electrolytes and nutrients. The organs then are placed in sterile containers, packaged in wet ice, and transported to the recipient's transplant center. With the new technology of the OCS the heart is placed in the box and it is immediately revived to its beating state, receiving oxygen and nutrient-rich blood, all while maintaining the appropriate temperature for the organ to work.
Now, usually when I mention “heart in a box” to someone they typically think the organ is placed in a normal looking box but that is not the case. The OCS looks like a typical medical device with a cardiovascular monitor, a blood reservoir, a perfusion pump, for the heart transplants it has an aorta valve that connects to the heart, and an oxygenator; basically everything that is needed for the heart to keep beating and working like it would normally do in the body. Something amazing about OCS is that it gives a bigger window of time for the organ to be stored during transportation from the donor to the recipient. It also provides a better outcome for the patients; cold storage can limit the utilization of the organ and impact the outcome of the surgery. When the organ is kept warm and functioning normally it optimizes the condition of the organs and therefore the results on the long run.
Organ Care System is currently being used in 10 hospitals here in the United Stated, one of them being Mass General. If we keep using innovating technologies like OCS and bringing it to more hospitals around the US maybe we could help more patients get the life they want, from a beating heart in a box to a beating heart in their chest.
Posted by Genesis Figueroa (1)
Overall, I loved this post as I had no idea this technology even existed, let alone was being used in the medical field today. Interestingly enough, my friend and I were actually discussing a lecture today based around the premise that if the MHC-I receptors on the cardiac cells of the donor do not match with the MHC-I receptors within the host, then the body will subsequently reject the transplanted organ. I found this blog to be a fantastic piece that connected my basic lecture to a tangible example of how organ transplants occur in today's society. Ultimately, do you think this technology has the capacity to become commonplace in the future or will it simply be another failed project?
ReplyDeletePosted by James Levangie
I do believe that the OCS can and will become more common over time and will be used in more than 10 hospitals around the United States and hopefully the world. It has the ability of giving a bigger chance to the patients in needed of transplant. As someone that is extremely interested in the field of medicine I would love to see this technology being used more often and hopefully for more than just kidneys, lungs, and heart transplant.
Delete-Genesis Figueroa
That is some great technology! OCS is a medical innovation that is simple and yet efficient. The mechanics behind the machine are not very hard to understand; the heart is kept warm and beating as if it was in the body, which improves the status of the organ during transportation. It is surprising to see that we adapted this technology only now ( or so slowly). If we think about, we have already dialysis machines that circulate blood in an out of the body, and we have incubation boxes that keep infants warm. Both of those functions were combined into the OCS. I wonder why the development was so slow. Maybe nobody saw current the organ transplantation standards as an issue and didn't think they need to be fixed?!
ReplyDelete-Gene
I had no idea this technology was currently available! It is incredible how they can re-create the environment necessary to keep a heart warm and beating for transportation. They used to, and I am sure in most places they still do, place the organ into a cooler full of ice to keep it cold during transportation. This method only leaves a certain window of time where the organ is still viable for transplantation which meant that it was difficult to transport organs over longer distances. Hopefully this OCS device is successful and can be used in every hospital as it probably makes transplants more efficient. I wonder why this technology was not developed sooner.
ReplyDelete-Brianna Luciani
This is incredible that healthcare can do this now. If the OCS device was available in many hospitals here in the States and globally and even for nonprofit health clinics and organizations, this would be such a helpful way to transfer one heart from a box to a heart in someone else's chest.
ReplyDelete-Katherine Tran
Absolutely, and it could be transported to longer distances than the normal procedure allows to because the organ never stops working and it maintains the organ's normal temperature. Many more lives could be saved.
Delete-Genesis Figueroa
I am a Grey's ride or die fan and i remember watching this episode and thinking how cool this was. It's great to know that this is something that is being used in real life. this can improve the transport of organs and make sure that they last longer during transportation. hopefully OCS becomes more common in other hospitals because this can really save so many lives.
ReplyDeletePosted by Pam Jimenez
I thought the same thing! I agree, hopefully it becomes standard for hospitals to utilize OCS devices in the near future. Its amazing that medical technology has been developed that can maintain the heart beat, temperature, nutrient and oxygen levels. This is such a giant leap from the old standard of having to revive the heart at the transplant medical center. With only a fraction of donor hearts being viable matches for patients, having the ability to transport a beating heart long distances will undoubtedly be able to save countless lives.
Delete-Posted by Kayla Rosiello
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThe first time I watched the episode I could not believe it was real. It still amazes me how technology has evolved over the years and with it medical devices. Who would have thought 30 years ago that we would have a "box" keeping a heart alive while it gets transplanted into someone's chest. If it gets used more so many lives can be saved.
Delete-Genesis Figueroa
I find this topic very intriguing for me. As I have seen this healthcare technology used in both shows or movies, I never took the time to research or look into it. It is really amazing how the field of medicine has change and improved as the first human organ transplant. Like all other organ transplants, heart transplants are very risky and requires complex procedures. It is very beneficial and effective in making the transplant much smoother as the OCS allows for the donor organs to be maintained in a functioning state at body temperature.
ReplyDeletePosted by Emily Wong
OCS could also allow doctors to be sure the organ is working properly before the transplant happens. Which could lead to fewer unsuccessful surgeries.
Delete-Genesis Figueroa