Exponential growth and future of artificial organs.
One hundred thousand (100,000) people are living--thanks to Artificial Kidneys. We need more emphasis on Home Dialysis. The immediate future will bring us: WAK (Wearable Artificial Kidney) FAK (Filtrating Artificial Kidney) PAK (Peritoneal Artificial Kidney) HAK (Hemoperfusion Artificial Kidney). Intra-aortic balloon pumps and transapical left ventricular bypass may offer patients now dying from heart failure, a possibility to either recover or be maintained until an artificial heart is available. Our aim is to create an Artificial Heart to totally replace the irreparably sick human heart. We have obtained survival times up to more than six months after total replacement of the natural heart in calves. Dr. Steve Jacobsen's Artificial Arm is activated by electromyographic signals that are derived from the shoulder muscles. The Artificial Eye makes use of direct stimulation of the visual cortex of the brain by arrays of electrodes situated against the visual cortex. For the Artificial Ear, we stimulate the fibers of the eighth nerve by threading platinum wires up into the cochlea. Deaf volunteers can hear rhythm, loudness and some pitch.
D000818:Animals; D001186:Artificial Limbs; D001187:Artificial Organs; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002417:Cattle; D004423:Ear; D005123:Eye; D006354:Heart, Artificial / Q000295:instrumentation; D006437:Hemodialysis, Home; D006801:Humans; D007688:Kidneys, Artificial / Q000295:instrumentation; D008297:Male; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D006435:Renal Dialysis
D001672:Biocompatible Materials