Organ transplantation is not easy even in developed countries. There are a lot of qualified doctors, and several thousand people stand in line for the necessary organs. In the United States alone, the transplant waiting list consists of 121,000 names. Approximately 30 people (on average) die per day without waiting for their turn. Stan Larkin was lucky twice. On the other hand, getting a terrible diagnosis is quite difficult to call a positive gift of fate - but if it were not for the coincidence, the history of this basketball player could have ended very differently.
Terrible diagnosis
Larkin and his older brother were diagnosed as a teenager. Cardiomyopathy slowly causes heart failure: an inevitable but very slow death. In December 2014, Stan had his heart removed - and was given a SynCardia Freedom Portable Driver instead. The machine, weighing 13 kilograms, took over the work of the most important muscle, distilling blood through the body using compressed air.
Dangerous moment
Surgeons at UM Frankel Cardiovascular Center implanted a defibrillator in the teen's chest to help regulate Stan's heart rate. For a time, the defibrillator did its job perfectly, but significantly limited the physical activity of the recipient. In addition, it was not clear how long the heart would even last, even with such help. Doctors decided to take extreme measures - Larkin's brother remained the only SynCardia carrier in the world.
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New technology
For patients with heart disease, this amazing new technology is heaven's gift. A technique developed in the United States allows people, with the proper degree of luck, to stretch out to their turn for surgery. Stan Larkin, who just celebrated his 25th birthday, had a successful transplant just a few weeks ago. Prior to that, the young man spent 17 months literally carrying his heart in his pocket.
It was a difficult period. The operation took place only two weeks ago, and I can already run. Thanks to the donor - and thanks to the brilliant doctors, without whom my life would have ended much earlier. - Stan Larkin is a very lucky man.
Deus ex machina
The device was specially designed for such cases. Larkin's older brother, who was lucky enough to get an operation earlier, wore exactly the same. Stan himself had to endure a much longer period - the doctors did not hope that SynCardia Freedom could last almost two years without a single breakdown.