Overseas transport of a patient with an extracorporeal left ventricular assist device

An 18-year-old boy with end-stage cardiomyopathy who was undergoing support with an extracorporeal pneumatic left ventricular assist device was transported from Japan to the United States. During the 17-hour flight, the patient's condition was stable, and the pneumatic assist device worked well under low atmospheric pressure in the cabin. Subsequently, he had a successful heart transplantation after 119 days of left ventricular assist device support.