Devices to Remove Fluids
Ultrafiltration devices are used in hospitals to pump excess water and salt from the body. Catheters are inserted into several of the patient’s veins. The catheters are connected to a blood filter device. Blood is withdrawn through one of the catheters and filtered in the device to remove excess fluid. The filtered blood is then returned to the patient through another catheter. A 2006 study reported that ultrafiltration devices may work better than diuretic drugs for patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). ADHF is heart failure that has rapidly deteriorated so that patients require immediate hospitalization.
Implantable Artificial Heart
Surgeons implanted the first self-contained, artificial heart, known as the AbioCor, in five Americans in 2001. The heart, powered by an external battery that transmits electrical pulses through the skin, is a yo-yo shaped device about the size of a grapefruit. Although it did extend survival somewhat during these initial tests, it is highly experimental and intended only for those with very severe heart damage who are not expected to live longer than 30 days.
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