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.