Dr. Klassen
Every minute matters when you’re fighting for your life. What if the care you needed most didn’t exist here at home?
This is the reality for some of our most critically ill patients at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital (CBRH). But together, we can change that.
My name is Dr. Klassen, and I’m the Physician Lead in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the CBRH. I’m writing to kindly ask for your help in bringing two pieces of lifesaving equipment to Cape Breton, for the first time ever.
This Radio Day, the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation is rallying our community to support the purchase of two ‘Prismax machines’ for the ICU. These machines will transform how we care for some of our most vulnerable patients.
When kidneys fail, which is unfortunately a common and life-threatening complication we see in patients in the ICU, the body can no longer remove dangerous waste and fluid on its own. Without kidneys, a person cannot survive. This can happen with patients experiencing sepsis, severe trauma, major heart attacks, or blood loss.
Here’s where the Prismax comes in. The Prismax mimics the natural function of healthy kidneys by gently filtering blood 24-hours a day, allowing a patient to be a lot more stable. This is different from traditional dialysis which works rapidly over just four hours, putting immense stress and strain on an already fragile body.
Essentially, the Prismax gives patients a better chance at survival.
More than 1,200 patients rely on the ICU every year, and over 700 require dialysis treatments. Some of these patients are too sick to be transferred to Halifax, where the closest Prismax is currently available.
The reality is that any of us, or our loved ones, could end up in the ICU. It’s critical to be able to provide the best care possible.
Along with supporting the kidneys, the Prismax also supports therapeutic plasma exchange, which helps patients with autoimmune diseases. Currently, patients needing this type of support must be transferred to Halifax.
Bringing the Prismax to the CBRH for the first time ever will ensure we can provide the highest standard of care, right here, in Cape Breton and across Nova Scotia Health’s Eastern Zone. It will help families stay close to home. And most importantly, it will give our Island’s health care experts the tools they need to give our friends, families, and neighbours the best possible chance at survival, when they need it most.
My colleagues and I thank you for your continued commitment to health care in Cape Breton. With your help, we can bring this lifesaving technology home.
With much gratitude,
Dr. Kevin Klassen
Physician Lead, Intensive Care Unit
Cape Breton Regional Hospital