Erste Maßnahmen und Verhalten bei Störungen eines Kunstherzsystems

Safety issues with an inter-hospital transport of a patient with a Berlin Heart Excor biventircular assist device

BACKGROUND

Interhospital transfers of pediatric patients on the Berlin Heart Excor have been published on an occasional basis.

METHODS

Nowadays medicine evolves away from just feasibility towards quality and safety issues. Management tools like risk analysis have found their way into clinical practice.

RESULTS

Exemplary, we present a case of a 20 months old boy on a Berlin Heart BiVAD Excor who underwent a 224 km ground transport. After a systematic review of the published literature, we describe our safety management with the aim was to provide highest quality of care for the transport.

CONCLUSION

Besides a risk analysis, we also describe our training and simulation protocol.

[Rehabilitation standards for follow-up treatment and rehabilitation of patients with ventricular assist device (VAD)]

The increasing use of ventricular assist devices (VADs) in terminal heart failure patients provides new challenges to cardiac rehabilitation physicians. Structured cardiac rehabilitation strategies are still poorly implemented for this special patient group. Clear guidance and more evidence for optimal modalities are needed. Thereby, attention has to be paid to specific aspects, such as psychological and social support and education (e.g., device management, INR self-management, drive-line care, and medication).In Germany, the post-implant treatment and rehabilitation of VAD Patients working group was founded in 2012. This working group has developed clear recommendations for the rehabilitation of VAD patients according to the available literature. All facets of VAD patients' rehabilitation are covered. The present paper is unique in Europe and represents a milestone to overcome the heterogeneity of VAD patient rehabilitation.