Intercontinental LVAS patient transport.
Mechanical circulatory support is currently indicated for patients with cardiac insufficiency as a bridge to transplantation or as a bridge to recovery. These systems continue to evolve and improve, and many patients (after they are stabilized) are now able to be discharged from the hospital. This article reports our experience with the intercontinental transportation of a patient while being supported with a Novacor left ventricular assist system (WorldHeart Corp, Ottawa, Canada). While in Japan, the Canadian patient suffered a myocardial infarction and despite coronary artery bypass grafting, the patient remained in a low cardiac output state. After implantation of the left ventricular assist system in Japan, the patient was stabilized and transported by a commercial airline to Canada where he underwent successful heart transplantation.
Haddad
Michel
M
Division of Cardiac Surgery, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Masters
Roy G
RG
Hendry
Paul J
PJ
Kawai
Akihiko
A
Veinot
John P
JP
Lavallee
Gilbert
G
Mussivand
Tofy V
TV
D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D007423:Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D009864:Ontario; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010360:Patient Transfer; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013922:Thrombocytosis / Q000150:complications; D014187:Transportation of Patients; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery