Artificial Heart Patient Dies in Ky.
February 08, 2003 01:04:28 AM PST,Tom Christerson, the longest-living recipient of a fully self-contained artificial heart, spent his final hours among family and friends before dying in his sleep.Christerson died Friday afternoon at Jewish Hospital, where he received the plastic-and-titanium device 512 days ago. He was 71.
"He was alert, oriented and visiting with family and friends until he fell asleep and died within the hour," a statement from the hospital said. Abiomed Inc. of Danvers, Mass., the company that manufactures the AbioCor heart, said the cause of death was the "wearout of an internal membrane" of the device.
Christerson, a retired tire dealer, became the world's second recipient of the AbioCor device in a surgery Sept. 13, 2001. At the time, Christerson was given little chance of surviving more than a month with his own failing heart. "I didn't have any idea it would last this long," Christerson said in September during a routine checkup, as his one-year anniversary approached.
The AbioCor device has no wires or tubes that protrude from the chest. An internal battery and controller regulate the pumping speed, and an external battery powers the device by passing electricity through the skin. Earlier mechanical hearts were attached to machinery outside the body.
"While we at Abiomed are saddened by Tom's death, we take solace from the fact that the AbioCor allowed him to enjoy many months of life and many experiences that he would no otherwise have had," said David M. Lederman, CEO of Abiomed.
Robert Tools, of Franklin, Ky., was the first recipient of the AbioCor. He died Nov. 30, 2001, almost five months after his groundbreaking surgery. Christerson was one of three AbioCor patients still living. The other two, who have not been publicly identified, just received the artificial hearts last month. Doctors have said little about their conditions., 百拇医药
"He was alert, oriented and visiting with family and friends until he fell asleep and died within the hour," a statement from the hospital said. Abiomed Inc. of Danvers, Mass., the company that manufactures the AbioCor heart, said the cause of death was the "wearout of an internal membrane" of the device.
Christerson, a retired tire dealer, became the world's second recipient of the AbioCor device in a surgery Sept. 13, 2001. At the time, Christerson was given little chance of surviving more than a month with his own failing heart. "I didn't have any idea it would last this long," Christerson said in September during a routine checkup, as his one-year anniversary approached.
The AbioCor device has no wires or tubes that protrude from the chest. An internal battery and controller regulate the pumping speed, and an external battery powers the device by passing electricity through the skin. Earlier mechanical hearts were attached to machinery outside the body.
"While we at Abiomed are saddened by Tom's death, we take solace from the fact that the AbioCor allowed him to enjoy many months of life and many experiences that he would no otherwise have had," said David M. Lederman, CEO of Abiomed.
Robert Tools, of Franklin, Ky., was the first recipient of the AbioCor. He died Nov. 30, 2001, almost five months after his groundbreaking surgery. Christerson was one of three AbioCor patients still living. The other two, who have not been publicly identified, just received the artificial hearts last month. Doctors have said little about their conditions., 百拇医药