You imagine having no heart, but stay alive.Apparently it is not possible.However, Craig Lewis came true.Internet users were impacted when the viral history of Craig Lewis was known again, considered the first human being who managed to live without heart and without a pulse.
Due to a cardiac infection, the 55 -year -old man was dying and only a real miracle could save him.However, modern medicine is really amazing and continues to provide everything: from vaccines to protect ourselves to treatments against fatal diseases.
As if that were not enough, this branch of science is still searching the perfect artificial heart.A clear example was presented in March 2011 with Craig Lewis.After several failed essays between surgeons trying to build a machine that did not decompose or cause blood clots, two doctors from the Texas Heart Institute proposed an innovative solution.This tried to install, in replacement of the heart, a device called "Continuous Flow" (continuous circulation).According to the ‘National Public Radio’ report, doctors Billy Cohn and Bud Frazier developed a mechanism that used rotating rotors to pump blood throughout the body without beat.After practicing with 38 calves, Cohn and Frazier felt safe to move on to the next level: Human trials.Therefore, they selected Craig Lewis, a 55 -year -old man who was on the verge of death.
What was the situation of Craig Lewis?
Lewis suffered from amyloidosis, a strange disease that causes an accumulation of abnormal proteins that results in a cardiac infection.Even his heart was so damaged that doctors informed him that he had about 12 hours left.Given this complicated situation, Craig Lewis's family accepted the proposal to be part of the artificial heart essays.“He wanted to live and we didn't want to lose it.You never know how long you have, ”said Linda, the wife.
The operation was a success?
At the time of surgical intervention, the doctors of the Texas Institute extracted the heart of Craig Lewis and installed the artificial device.“I heard and it was a buzz, which is amazing.I had no pulse, ”said Linda Lewis.Fortunately, after the implant, the man woke up and managed to recover a bit: he could talk and sit in a chair.However, amyloidosis reached its liver and kidneys.So Craig lived for more than a month with his heart without a pulse and died in April 2011 for the underlying disease.“His doctors say that the bombs worked perfectly,” said ‘National Public Radio’."We knew that, if it wasn't a success for Craig, if they could get data that would help them, if they helped the next person, then he did well," said Linda.
This story was worthy of capturing on the screen and that is not only a medical advance but the possibility of doing something unimaginable.The experiment made a person live without heart.
The short film, in documentary format, which explains in depth the case is called ‘Heart Stop Beating’, in Spanish ‘The heart stops beat’, which was directed by Jeremiah Zagar.