Originally published October 12 2005
New ultrasound application will help heart transfer patients
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
According to Dr. Jon Kobashigawa, intravascular ultrasounds can now be used to detect whether or not a potential heart transplant will result in blockages, cutting the risks of a complex procedure by predicting one of its deadliest complications.
Each year, about 2,500 heart transplants are performed in the U.S. They can save lives, but they aren't risk free.
Now a technique could make transplants safer.
Curt Jones hadn't even reached his 50th birthday, but he was already growing tired of life.
His heart was weak and dangerously enlarged.
Heart transplants can help people with Curt's condition, but 50% will develop deadly blockages.
Now, an intravascular ultrasound can produce sonar images to identify who's likely to develop blockages.
"It's similar to sonar from submarines, or echoes from bats or whales or dolphins," explained Dr. Jon Kobashigawa.
If the vessels in the heart are thick, the patient receives a drug to slow the progression.
The drugs can have side effects, including kidney damage.
So if patients don't need to be on the drug, they shouldn't be.
After Curt's transplant, the images showed his new vessels are free and clear.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml