Dick Cheney recovering from heart transplant

This might be the best post of all-time.

 

Which only makes it bigger news, regardless of the politics.

 

Whichever argument is more convenient, eh?

 

Privelage gets you a new heart at 71. A regular Joe likely would have been told TS.

 

Yeah, but soon, with socialized medicine, we'll all be able to get new hearts, right? We'll all get the same level of care.

Former top government officials will be just like the rest of us then.

 

From the Chicago Tribune Reuters:

 

This proves if you have money you are more valuable to the world. You think a bum on the street with his heart and health history would have a chance in hel! at getting a transplant. Heck, NO! He should have died like the bum would.

 

Significant numbers of patients older than 70 qualify for transplants. Hearts and lungs are especially finicky. Not only do you need oo qualify medically, have the right blood type and also be in the same region as the donor, but you also have to be the same size. Kidneys can be fit into any abdomen, but heart and liver need sized to fit intothe recipient chest cavity.

While connections may make a difference in medical care, I don't believe that this occurs in the transplant world. The scarcity of organs and the transparency of the waiting lists make for a fair distribution.

 

Never thought about the size of the patient & donor being an issue. Makes sense though.

 

How did he get one then? His heart is two sizes too small.

 

Connections make a difference in getting on the waiting list. I have no doubt money and notoriety play a role in getting a transplant.

http://articles.cnn.com/2009-06-24/health/liver.transplant.priority.lists_1_organ-transplant-liver-transplant-united-network?_s=PM:HEALTH

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31509368/ns/health-health_care/t/did-steve-jobs-wallet-help-cut-transplant-wait/#.T2_gBhB5mK0

 

I would love to believe this is true. But if it is, that would represent a tightening of the system in the last 10 years, since a Yakuza boss and three of his underlings jumped the line to get new livers at UCLA Medical Center.

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/may/30/local/me-ucla30

The four surgeries were done between 2000 and 2004 at a time of pronounced organ scarcity. In each of those years, more than 100 patients died awaiting liver transplants in the Greater Los Angeles region.

Not trying to say anything is wrong with the Cheney case, but I think it's naive to say this system can't be manipulated.

One thing I did read yesterday is that older patients have a better chance of getting what in effect are B-list organs -- they wouldn't qualify to be given to another patient with a good chance of survival, but if they aren't being used anyway, they'll turn to the high-risk recipient group figuring it's worth a shot.