Free guide for patients with artificial heart and cardiac support systems

In cooperation with the German Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (DGTHG), the Deutsche Herzstiftung has published a free brochure on the subject of "Living with an Artificial Heart - A Guide for Concerned, Relatives and Interested Parties".

In order to keep patients alive until a suitable donor organ is available, but also due to the lack of donor hearts (in 2016 there were only 291 heart transplants nationwide), cardiac surgeons rely on cardiac support systems that use either the left or the right ventricle support more than 90% of patients. Complete artificial hearts are only implanted in around 30 patients per year.

(Image: Henrie / fotolia.com)

Functionality of the mechanical cardiovascular support, information on surgical procedures and duration, information about medicines and questions of everyday life (resumption of work, sports, sex life, restrictions), answers the book layman understandable, extensive and based on numerous illustrations.

Free PDF at www.herzstiftung.de/kunstherz; Order print brochure by phone 069/955128400 or by e-mail under [email protected] be requested.

The German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery e.V. (DGTHG), headquartered in Berlin, is a non-profit medical association whose goals include: promoting science and advancing therapies in the field of thoracic, cardiac and vascular surgery. Other key tasks include the implementation of continuing education programs, the preparation of medical guidelines, the promotion of junior staff and the organization of medical conferences. Representing the more than 1,000 thorax, cardiovascular and cardiovascular surgeons active in Germany and organized in the DGTHG, those responsible for the specialist society are available for dialogue with the public, politics and industry.