Our specialized outpatient clinic is divided into the fields of heart transplantation and heart failure.
The heart failure unit cares for patients who suffer from heart failure as a result of cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, or congenital heart disease, or who have an increased risk of developing cardiac dysfunction due to an oncological condition. Care includes, in addition to advanced and specialized pediatric cardiology diagnostics, the initiation of guideline-based medical therapy and long-term follow-up.
The heart transplantation unit focuses on close and long-term follow-up of children and adolescents after heart transplantation. Patients presenting with severe and progressive heart failure or with a failing Fontan circulation in the setting of a univentricular heart are evaluated in our specialized clinic for possible heart transplantation.
In addition, we support children with mechanical circulatory support (VAD) as a bridge to transplant while on the waiting list until heart transplantation. We also provide care for patients receiving mechanical circulatory support as a bridge to recovery, including management within a potential weaning process. Care of children on VAD support is carried out in close collaboration with Senior Consultant PD Dr. Katharina Thom, who heads the coagulation clinic of the pediatric department.
The close integration of these two areas particularly benefits patients who are placed on the transplant waiting list due to their heart failure.