Texas Children's Hospital Implants Artificial Heart - See Jordan's Journey

Texas Children's Hospital in Houston announced in June 2011 that it is the first pediatric hospital in the United States to implant an artificial heart into the chest of a 17-year-old patient as the only option to save his life. The history-making patient underwent a rare 15-hour operation on May 22 and is currently recovering at Texas Children's Hospital. He is one of three congenital heart patients in the nation to get such a device.

Jordan Merecka, 17, born with his heart on the wrong side of his chest (Dextrocardia) and his heart vessels backwards as well (corrected transpositon of the great arteries) underwent a fifteen-hour heart surgery on May 22 at Texas Children's Heart Center, where he was implanted with SynCardia Total Artificial Heart, a pulsatile blood pump which mimics the pumping action of the native heart. The Total Artificial Heart was implanted in this pediatric patient as a bridge to donor-heart transplantation.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Total Artificial Heart
• Texas Children's Heart Center
• Texas Children's Hospital
• Heart Center
• Heart Failure
• Jordan Merecka
• VADs
• Ventricular Assist Device

[chalverii]

Quite impressive. Was the device implanted conventionally in light of the presentation with transposition?

[TexasChildrensVideo]

@chalverii Yes, he had reached a point where he needed a heart transplant and it wasn't available. His outlook was worsening while waiting for the heart. The Syncardia Heart saved his life. Now he can wait as long as it takes to get the best donor heart that meets his needs.

[KarlLeroyMD]

I'm in med school, one day hopefully in cardiac surgery.. and watching these videos makes me wanna say to myself " Come on...give it your very best, so that one day it's going to be you who helps people get better and make them and their family happy along the way " God bless these people

[tenbosch]

Jordan - You seem to be such a wonderful young man. I'm very happy that technology has developed well enough to give you this opportunity. As a parent of child with CHD, I can't explain to you how this makes me feel. I wish nothing but health and happiness for you. You're an inspiration to other children that share special hearts. You're an inspiration to parents of special hearts.

Thank you to Texas Children's hospital for posting this and sharing this story.

[strawnfam]

Awesome! Jordan, hope things continue to go well for you. We'll be down at TCH at the end of July for my son's third heart surgery. What a great place!

[haleylopez234]

Jordan, If you are reading this, I hope you know that I am thinking of you. Stay strong and I hope you get a new, healthy heart soon. I love you with all my heart! <3 :) - Haley Lopez :)

[Champa5]

Incredible story. I wish him well, and hope that he gets a heart match so that he will get his heart.

[Champa5]

Incredible story. I wish him well, and hope that he gets a heart match so that he will get his heart.