Abstract
An intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP) and percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) should be used as lifesaving treatment for patients with conditions refractory to medical treatment. If improvement is still not seen, left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation or heart transplantation is the only way to save the life of the patient. However, because the number of institutions that perform heart transplants is limited, it is expected that the number of severely affected patients with circulatory support devices, who require emergency transport, will increase. Transporting these patients over long distances is an unresolved problem. The power of the internal battery in the device will not last en route. Helicopters are a better choice from the perspective of transportation speed, but the cabin is narrow and the available electric power is not sufficient. We transported patients with IABP by land in disaster support vehicles, which are large bus-sized fire engines. It has sufficient electrical power of up to 20 A. An increased number of patients will likely need to be transported under emergent conditions to other hospitals. We conclude that prior consultation regarding transport and actual transport simulations between medical and fire departments of each region will lead to increased survival.
