The medical world often finds itself clueless when it comes to providing treatment to the patients with terminal heart disease who are not candidates for routine angioplasty, stent or bypass surgery. Such patients can benefit only by transplantation which is not a practical solution due to severe shortage of donor hearts.
However, here is good news for these patients in India: Titanium VAD (Ventricular Assist Devices), which functions as an "Artificial Heart," can give them a new life, says acclaimed cardiac surgeon Dr. Mukesh Hariawala.
Delivering the keynote address at the "Innovations in Medical Devices" conference in New Delhi recently, the Indian-American doctor from Boston said, "Titanium VAD is implanted during open heart surgery which acts as a mechanical pump for the failing left ventricle portion of the heart. This tiny device is controlled by a set of long life lithium ion rechargeable battery packs that resides in the patient's waist pouch."
According to Dr Hariawala, after successful surgery and smooth recovery, the patients can shower, walk freely outdoors and even travel medium distances. "This would be a new lease of life for these patients who are typically bed ridden on oral medications with a very poor quality of life," he said.
The eminent heart surgeon said that the U.S. FDA-approved technology would be available in India at select medical centers, which have the infrastructure and surgical expertise, by late 2012.
Harvard-trained Dr Hariawala is one of the most sought-after authorities to speak on subjects like Artificial Heart, Stem Cells and Angiogenesis. He has been invited to deliver keynote lectures in a number of global scientific conferences to be held in Hong Kong, Dubai, China, Hungary, Australia, Canada, Germany and the U.S. in 2012.
