The University Hospital of Caen no longer performs heart transplants. The Normandy Regional Health Agency suspended this activity last Thursday at this hospital, due to the absence of heart transplants by the CHU teams since July 2021, the ARS explained to West of France.
According to the ARS, it was the Biomedicine Agency that informed him of “a risk to patients” due to “the prolonged absence of transplant activity.”
‘Much more difficult’ for patients
Véronique Bazire, undersecretary of the Force Ouvrière union at Caen University Hospital, says she is concerned about this decision, stressing that it will complicate the lives of already fragile patients who will therefore have to go to more distant establishments.
There is “concern about the distance in transplant expectations, the distance in transfers, so we are worried about losing this activity,” he explains to BFMTV, adding that the “most worrying” thing is “for people who will need to be hospitalized” . If they’re in the hospital for a long time waiting for a transplant, away from home and family, it can be much more difficult for them.”
“Limited Chances of Survival”
The Norman Association of Cardiac Transplants calls this decision “irresponsible” in a press release. She explains that there is “a substantial list of patients awaiting a transplant at Caen University Hospital, two of whom are under care and cannot be transferred while grafts are being offered.” The ANGC speaks of putting “the lives of these patients at risk, whose chances of survival will be reduced.”
According to information from West of FranceCaen’s cardiology teams had requested a suspension, until the end of 2022, to organize support for patients and their transfer, which was denied.
“It’s already stressful to know that we are going to be transplanted, and to wait for a transplant”, Jacques Deslandes, president of the ANGC, explains to our microphone, “and to know that they are no longer going to transplant us where we have follow-up before the transplant, where we know that we are with a competent team, knowing that we are going to be transplanted to another place where we do not know the team, we do not know, adds additional stress”.
16 patients are currently waiting for a transplant in Caen, according to West of France. They should be redirected to the nearest establishments that practice heart transplants in Paris and Rouen.
Source: BFM TV
