Hurricane Katrina: emergent interstate transport of an evacuee on biventricular assist device support.
In many U.S. hospitals, mechanical circulatory support has become routine. However, catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina test the abilities of a hospital system to sustain patients on such support and transport them in emergent situations. A 15-year-old boy with dilated cardiomyopathy who was receiving biventricular mechanical circulatory support at a New Orleans hospital was successfully transported by Angel One Transport from Arkansas Children's Hospital across state lines to Texas Children's Hospital, where he was stabilized and received an orthotopic heart transplant.
Owens
William R
WR
Division of Congenital Heart Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.
Morales
David L S
DL
Braham
Dallas G
DG
Eastlee
Connie N
CN
Moss
Michele M
MM
Dunne
Heather A
HA
McGarry
Mary Claire
MC
Mueller
Maryann W
MW
Shelton
Ronnie J
RJ
Surprise
Deborah L
DL
Heinle
Jeffery S
JS
D000293:Adolescent; D004190:Disasters; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010360:Patient Transfer; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000379:methods*