Two hearts are better than one

A BRAVE Brazilian man is fighting for his life - with TWO beating hearts inside his body.

The unnamed 53-year-old is in a stable condition after a 12-hour operation.

But docs at Sao Paulo's Heart Institute fear he only has a 50 per cent chance of surviving.

The patient has suffered severe lung hypertension that stopped his heart pumping blood around his body.

So he was given the new donor organ to prop up his own heart.

The "new" heart was place on the right side of his chest and is linked to his original heart by a vein, arteries of the lung and the aorta.

Surgeon Alfredo Fiorelli, who carried out the transplant, said: "This is not a routine transplant, the situation is exceptional. The next 72 hours will be fundamental to evaulate his state."

"One heart would not be capable of pumping enough blood to the whole body since the patient's lungs were damaged.

"The traditional transplant would not be recommended and the only alternative was placing a sedond heart besides the original one as an aide.

"This is an exceptional method due to the patient´s grave state."

He added: "The patient will be kept alive in an artificial state for two months.Without this operation, the patient's chances of survival were unlikely.

"Eventually the healthy heart is expected to take over the principal functions of its weaker counterpart, which will beat slower and slower with time."

via Two hearts are better than one | The Sun |News.

Has anyone ever lived who had two hearts because they were born that way?  I mean, besides conjoined twins.