Cardiac support systems, artificial hearts and active implant technologies

Prof. Dr. Jan D. Schmitto

Dear visitor,

we welcome you to the homepage of the Clinical Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery.

The mere fact that you or a family member have been diagnosed with heart failure can be worrying. However, the situation with a lack of donor organs is more unpleasant.

The ventricular assist device, also known as an artificial heart, is a real alternative to a heart transplant: it can be used as a bridging measure until the actual organ transplant, but is also ideal as a permanent form of therapy for patients who cannot be listed for transplantation.

The ventricular assist devices (VAD) are available at all times and can therefore also be implanted at short notice in an emergency. Many new technical and surgical innovations in recent years have significantly reduced complications and improved long-term survival rates.

Hannover Medical School is a world-renowned and comparably large center for VAD implantation. With modern methods such as minimally invasive surgical procedures and implantation of the latest devices with current software options such as artificial pulse, a very high standard of treatment is achieved. As a university, our hospital is also academically oriented and carries out numerous project-related research projects and clinical studies.

Our patients are given detailed advice and examined before the operation in order to determine which ventricular assist device and which surgical procedure is best suited to them.

After implantation, patients receive long-term care from our artificial heart and transplant outpatient clinic. We work closely with the patients' family physicians. In addition to regular prophylactic examinations of patients, it is also possible to arrange an appointment with us at short notice in emergencies or if problems arise.

If you have any questions about our Clinical Department or our work, please give us a call or send us an e-mail.