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Posted by: Headshot_Joe Jul 6 2011, 10:17 PM

http://www.npr.org/2011/06/13/137029208/heart-with-no-beat-offers-hope-of-new-lease-on-life

So could a good sign of cyber-organ replacement be a lack of a pulse? And what happens when someone with one of these passes out or goes into a coma?

Posted by: Teulisch Jul 6 2011, 10:57 PM

it also would make CPR much more difficult in case of bionic failure.

Posted by: CanRay Jul 6 2011, 11:03 PM

And that's why Dick Cheney no has no heartbeat.

Posted by: Headshot_Joe Jul 6 2011, 11:33 PM

I think that has a lot less to do with technology than it does to him being in league with the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_(Warhammer)#The_Chaos_Gods...

Posted by: CanRay Jul 6 2011, 11:36 PM

Explains why he shot the lawyer in the face.

Posted by: Bodak Jul 7 2011, 12:48 AM

Well http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/investors-lose-as-ventracor-is-sold-to-us-outfit/story-e6frg8zx-1225718255144 Australian artificial heart didn't have a pulse so it's not surprising that later devices operate similarly.

Posted by: DWC Jul 7 2011, 01:56 AM

Given that the most reliable pumps and compressors are continuous feed systems like centrifugal pumps and screw compressors and not displacement pumps and reciprocal compressors, it's no shock that artificial hearts would move in the same direction.

It's a no-brainer from a Fluid Mechanics perspective.

Posted by: Method Jul 7 2011, 02:26 AM

These are the same kinds of pumps used in cardiopulmonary bypass and ECMO. Wonder how they plan to prevent SIRS...

And to answer the OPs question: if a person with such a pump fell into a comma and someone thought they were dead, there isn't a lot anybody could do that would hurt the person, except may chest compressions cracking a few ribs. Electrical cadioversion or ACLS drugs wouldn't really do anything (might be unpleasant but the person isnt awake anyway). An emergent thoracotomy would suck, but the trauma surgeon would very quickly realize what was going on.