Artificial replacements

• Faulty heart valves:

  • Heart valves can become faulty due to heart attack, infection, old age
  • Can cause valve tissue to stiffen so valve won't open fully
  • Heart valve may develop leak - blood can flow in both directions - blood does not circulate effectively
  • Can be replaced by biological valves - from cows, pigs etc
  • Can be replaced by mechanical valves
  • Replacing valve is major surgery, can cause blood clots
• Artifical hearts:

  • Used to keep patients alive whilst waiting for donor heart or lungs
• Advantages of artificial heart:

  • Can be used permanently - reduces need for donor heart
  • Less likely to be rejected by immune system - metal/plastic, not foreign to immune system
• Disadvantages of artifical heart:

  • Surgery can lead to bleeding an infection
  • Electrical motor could fail
  • Blood clots and strokes - blood doesn't flow smoothly
  • Drugs taken to thin blood
• Artificial blood:

  • Saline can replace lost volume of blood
  • Gives time to allow for new blood cell production