After effectively keeping a person’s heart alive outside of the body for a career high amount of time, a team of healthcare specialists in Australia has set a new mark.
According to accounts, the donated heart was in motion for seven hours and 18 minutes, the longest period a heart has been without blood flow. It all happened as a result of a new “heart in a box” machine being tested at the Alferd Hospital.
At a hospital, the organ was transplanted into Andrew Conway, a 55-year-old father. The patient, who was discharged from the hospital 12 days following the procedure with a replacement heart, described it as “fantastic technology.”
To keep the heart cold and nourished, the gadget injects a nutrient rich liquid called perfusate into the muscle.
It was the first time the technique had been tested outside of Europe. The technique also aids in the reduction of post-transplant problems.
