Since Su pointed that I could give some references on the matter, I'll do it.
First of all, I agree with everything that Anon99 wrote, so regarding this topic I won't add much. Currently, there's no device that could keep a donor heart in condition for a transplant for weeks. Due to a very limited ischemic time, the heart typically lasts 4-6 hours, a maximum of 10-12h with the available technology. I don't believe that any research center would keep one device such as the one Su mentioned as a secret. Millions of lives could be saved; also industry could get a real profit out of this device.
Here's one reference for ischemic time and current donor selection:
- Kilic A, Emani S. Donor selection in heatr transplant. J Thorac Dis 2014;6(8):1097-1104 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4133543/)
Regarding Su's medical condition, as Cephalosporin mentioned, maybe Su misunderstood a few things her doctor said. But I'll leave my take on the matter and some references:
I don't know any genetic condition in which your body grows faster than your organs. It seems absurd to me. Su, on the other hand, pointed it's a rare condition, so it's possible I'm simply ignorant to that. Unfortunately I don't have my Genetics textbook right now. And my research on Internet provided me nothing.
Su mentioned a "heart valve spasm". Typical heart valve defects are stenosis, regurgitation, prolapse and congenital defects (such as bicuspid aortic valve).
Maybe her doctor used the term "spasm" to simplify their explanation on the process, since "spasm" isn't a proper medical term.
Reference for current management of valvular heart diseases: 2014 AHA/ACC guideline for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. (https://www.guideline.gov/content.aspx?id=48267)
- On allergic reaction due to medications: drug allergy can be classsified in one of the four following hypersensibility reactions - IgE mediated reactions, Cytotoxic reaction, Immune complex reaction and Cell mediated reactions (Geel-Coombs classification). The most common symptoms are skin rash, itch, wheezing and anaphylaxis. Rarely, some more serious manifestations may occur like DRESS syndrome and Stevens-Johnson, which are life threatening condition with serious skin manifestations. Su didn't describe her symptoms; all we know is that Lin found her collapsed on the floor due to another valve "spasm" caused by the drug. I wouldn't say that was due to drug allergy. Drug adverse effects (which aren't all necessarily immune-mediated like hypersensibility reaction), however, could cause dizziness, hypothesion and syncope. On patients with Stage D Heart failure (stage in which heart transplant are recommended), it's recommended the use of diuretics, beta-blockers, digitalis and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI). Out of this classes of medications, drug allergy is most common with ACEI, causing wheezing and angioedema.
References for Heart failure and Drug allergy managements:
Side note: I'm currently just an intern in med school, so my knowledge is limited.
last edited at Jun 22, 2016 7:42PM
