Palliative care for patient with implanted left ventricular asist device: a case report

Abstract

The diagnosis of advanced heart failure represents a very serious medical condition. It is possible
to increase the patient’s low cardiac output by implementing the Left Ventricular Assist Device
(LVAD). All patients with LVAD benefit from not only medical care, but also adequate psychological,
social and pastoral care. All this can be coordinated by the palliative care physician, who can also
be instrumental in a communication between the VAD team and the patient’s family or the patient’s
general practitioner. In the end of life of a patient with LVAD it is paramount to ensure the patient’s
quality of life and enable him a dignified process of dying by applying a proper symptomatic
treatment. This case report illustrates a possible cooperation between the VAD team and
the palliative care physician.