the ability to solve the problem of infection, by completely implanting an artificial heart, was also crushed. New developments in the field of biomaterial need to be made to solve the problems with infection. Related to the difficulty of controlling infection in patients with an artificial heart are the problems of strokes and blood clots. These problems will not be readily solved.
Medically the implantation of a permanent artificial heart is contraindicated. After three weeks using an artificial circulatory support device, infections and strokes become especially common (Gil 29). The patients who lived beyond 10 days all died from complications of the implant and had continuing severe health problems, chronic infections, stokes, bleeding problems, and kidney failure (Gil 29). After permanent implantation of the artificial heart was stopped, it was approved as a temporary measure for patients waiting for a heart transplant. These same problems plague temporary recipients as well. It is not ethical to implant a device as a temporary measure and then not have a way to guarantee the device will only be temporary. Patients are left on the artificial heart permanently until their death.
Other medical options exist instead of implantation of an artificial heart. One option is the VAD, or ventricular assist device. This is a pump which is intended to help the heart to function. This pump is subject to the same types of problems as the artificial heart, but the problems do not appear as severely or as often. One reason given for this is that the human heart remains in the chest and is able to help fight off infections (Gil 26). Inotropic drugs can maintain heart function although the patient need intensive care hospitalization (Gil 31). Some forms of heart failure can be treated with the use of sophisticated pacemakers (Bush and Finucane 328, 331). When other forms of therapy exist, they should be utilized.
The med...