Saturday, January 19, 2008

HeartNet for Heart Failure

Heart failure occurs then the heart pump is unable to meet the body's metabolic needs. It typically occurs from two basic pathologies: (1) dilated cardiomyopathy, where the force of contraction of the pump is diminished and the wall tension stretches the chamber dimensions of the heart or (2) restrictive cardiomopathy, where is heart pump works normally, but the heart is restricted from receiving blood, either because it's muscles don't relax to fill adequately or because the heart is encased in a non-compliant shell that restricts filling.

To me, I just don't see how the HeartNet device, a nitinol wire mesh that encases the heart and will ultimately be surrounded in fibrous tissue, won't just convert the pathophysiology of a dilated cardiomyopathy into that of a restrictive cardiomyopathy...

A 6-month trial seems much too short to test the long-term safety of this device. After all, the wire mesh puts a whole new meaning to "a porcelain heart."

-Wes

Reference: Early, industry-sponsored results.

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