We are the combination of four hospitals: the General Hospital, the Children’s Hospital, the Women’s Hospital and the Traumatology, Rehabilitation and Burns Hospital. We are part of the Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus: a world-leading health park where healthcare plays a crucial role.
Patients are the centre and the core of our system. We are professionals committed to quality care and our organizational structure breaks down the traditional boundaries between departments and professional groups, with an exclusive model of knowledge areas.
Would you like to know what your stay at Vall d'Hebron will be like? Here you will find all the information.
The commitment of Vall d'Hebron University Hospital to innovation allows us to be at the forefront of medicine, providing first class care adapted to the changing needs of each patient.
Pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect is a rare heart condition characterised by a lack of connection between the right ventricle and the pulmonary arteries.
This is a rare congenital heart defect characterised by no connection between the right ventricle and the pulmonary arteries. It is an extreme type of Tetralogy of Fallot in which blood enters the lungs to be oxygenated by bypassing the heart.
Blood can reach the lungs via the pulmonary arteries themselves, which are not connected to the heart, or via the collateral arteries, which originate from the thoracic aorta and directly supply the lung. There are significant anatomical differences between vessels which must be studied in each individual child.
This condition is very heterogeneous, which creates the variability seen in the pulmonary arteries. Two groups can be distinguished:
The prognosis of this disease depends on the growth of the pulmonary arteries to be able to surgically repair the condition.
It is a rare congenital heart condition which makes up 1-2% of all congenital heart defects.
In most cases, diagnosis is via foetal echocardiogram. This ultrasound will show the lack of connection between the heart and the pulmonary arteries, as well as the presence of VSD. Through this test the size and position of the pulmonary arteries can also be measured.
When a child is born, it has a certain quantity of oxygen, known as “saturation”, in its blood which is around 80-90% of the normal level, although this is enough for the child to develop normally.
The Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a serious infectious disease originating in wild animals. It is caused by a virus of the “Ebolavirus” genus (filoviruses) that tends to occur as outbreaks with a mortality rate of 50%.
The first symptoms are sudden onset of fever, muscle pain, weakness, headache and neck ache. These are followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, decreased function of the kidneys and liver, skin eruptions and haemorrhaging.
In the final phase of the disease, patients experience multiple organ failure which, in some cases may be overcome in the second week of the virus’ evolution and in others may cause death.
It is a contagious disease from the onset of symptoms.
It is a common disease in West and Central Africa. The biggest outbreak occurred in 2014 and resulted in over 11,000 deaths (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone).
The incubation period ranges between 2 and 21 days.
In humans it is transmitted through direct contact with the blood and body fluids of infected people and with objects contaminated with infected patients’ body fluids. It can also be spread through sexual contact up to three months before any sign of symptoms.
It is essential to consider patients’ prior travel epidemiology and contact with others. Definitive diagnosis is carried out in laboratories in specialist centres, where the viral nucleic acid can be detected in biological samples. Before establishing an EVD diagnosis, other infectious diseases should be ruled out such as malaria, typhoid fever, dengue or meningitis.
As yet there is no specific treatment to combat the disease. It is important to keep patients well hydrated and maintain their arterial pressure, as well as provide to other essential life support.
Ebola prevention is based on different strategies:
A vaccination that has shown excellent results is currently in the approval stage.
Stroke treatment requires immediate care in specialized units by expert neurologists. Early intervention reduces mortality and long-term disability, and accurately identifying the onset time of symptoms is essential.
In the case of ischemic strokes, the purpose of treatment is to undo or remove, in the shortest possible time, the clot that is cutting off the natural blood circulation in the brain. There are two ways to do this:
In haemorrhagic strokes, the treatment aims to stop the bleeding that has been caused by the rupture of a vessel and prevent the increase in size of the haemorrhage. Therefore, regular monitoring of the patient is performed to gauge the level of consciousness and any neurological deficits. This is maintained for at least the first 72 hours after suffering a stroke. We also perform intensive monitoring of blood pressure, blood sugar levels and temperature to foresee possible complications.
Brain bleeding can cause inflammation of the surrounding brain tissue (known as oedema). If this happens, it is necessary to administer medication intravenously to reduce it. In people who are being treated with oral anticoagulants or who have alterations in haemostasis (a process that the body performs to slow down bleeding), it should be corrected as soon as possible.
In more severe cases, specialists may recommend surgery to drain the bleeding. The decision on surgical treatment is made based on factors such as the location and size of the haemorrhage, age, and the patient’s medical history. This is a difficult decision as it is not always possible to access it without causing damage to other areas of the brain.
The purpose of neurorehabilitation is to regain lost or diminished neurological functions as a result of a stroke. However, there are phases of recovery:
The interdisciplinary team involved throughout the different stages works so that the patient has the maximum independence and adaptation to their environment. To meet these goals, it is advisable to start recovery as soon as possible and, from the initial stages, foster the participation of patient and caregivers.
It should be mentioned that there is “Spontaneous recovery”: this is when the brain has the ability to recover from the damage it has suffered on its own. This recovery, however, may not be enough to reduce the sequelae. That is why it is advisable to always follow the instructions of specialists.
An interdisciplinary team deals with the recovery of a patient who has suffered a stroke. Each of the professionals acts according to the evolution of the condition and the needs that arise at any given time:
Other professionals such as doctors, nurses and orthopaedic technicians are also involved in the rehabilitation process.
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HPSCT) is the definitive treatment for many primary immunodeficiency disorders (PID). It is a total replacement of the blood cells in our body. It is also called a bone marrow transplant (BMT).
The aim of this treatment is to regenerate a haematopoiesis (the process by which the different types of blood cells form, mature, and circulate from stem cells), which has been eliminated by administering drugs or ionizing radiation, followed by the implantation of the donor's immune system, which is able to recognise and attack the malignant cells in the patient.
In this way, the bone marrow stem cells (factory of the defences) are changed for those of a healthy person (the donor). To undergo this process the patient is admitted to hospital for between one and three months.
1st step:
2nd step:
3rd step:
Treatment of kidney diseases focuses on controlling factors that affect kidney function, such as blood pressure and metabolic imbalances. Accurate diagnosis helps tailor treatment and slow disease progression.
There are three different levels of treatment:
a) medical, with the use of medication or hormones to substitute the alterations mentioned. A diet that creates little urea or that contains low levels of potassium, drugs to control excess or lack of sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium or acidity. And medication to treat anaemia.
b) extrarenal purification methods: haemodialysis (passing the blood through an external circuit to purify it and filter out toxic substances using a suitable filter), and peritoneal dialysis, during which a solution is circulated inside the patient's peritoneal cavity and is then extracted, taking the toxic substances usually expelled through urine with it.
c) kidney transplant from a living or deceased donor. In this instance, the new kidney takes over the functions of the diseased kidney. How long a kidney graft lasts varies and relies on controlling episodes of organ rejection that may occur after transplant. A young patient with kidney insufficiency may require more than one kidney transplant over their lifetime, although the useful life of these grafts is increasing day by day thanks to new immunosuppressant drugs.
Treatment of herpes simplex is based on antiviral medications such as acyclovir, famciclovir, or valacyclovir, particularly in infections caused by Herpes simplex virus type 1. These drugs reduce the severity and frequency of outbreaks but do not eradicate the virus from the body.
To treat herpes we use so-called antiviral drugs, such as acyclovir, famcyclovir and valacyclovir, which are the most effective in treating people affected by HSV-1.
Although the intensity and frequency of the symptoms will be reduced, they do not cure the infection.
The lung transplant consists of replacing one or two sick lungs with healthy lungs. In general, transplants are carried out when there is a disease that involves severe and progressive chronic respiratory failure. Lung transplants started in 1981 in California. In Catalonia, this type of intervention is carried out exclusively at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, for both children and adults.
Currently, 4,000 lung transplants are carried out every year around the world, including children and adults, especially in Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia. In the case of Catalonia, nine lung transplants are carried out per million inhabitants, a figure that puts us at the top of the tables. Our experience ranges from month-old babies to 70-year-olds.
Normally, it is a pneumologist with a patient with chronic respiratory insufficiency who contacts the Lung Transplant Unit for both adults and children at the Vall d'Hebron Hospital. From that first point of contact, the patient will be assessed by a multidisciplinary team in order to offer the best option, which might involve a transplant or simply medical treatment. It is important to remember that people who undergo lung transplants need to be strong enough to both wait for the operation and recover from it. This is a fundamental, complex requirement that must be met if the transplant is to provide benefits for the patient.
The survival rates for lung transplants are very positive. More than half of all patients are still alive after five years of the operation, and one in three patients after ten years. However, the goal of specialists is to continue researching to improve these results and prevent chronic rejection, and all the factors that lead to this complication.
Patients undergoing lung transplants must take an immunosuppressive therapy and prophylactics for an extended period of time. Most of these treatments are oral and in some cases may be inhaled.
In order to prevent complications, the medical advice given by your doctor should be followed precisely, avoid stress or over-exertion and make sure you follow the medication plan exactly. Aside from that, you can expect to lead a normal life.
A heart transplant is when a new heart is implanted. When the organs to be transplanted are the heart and the lungs, this is known as a “cardiopulmonary” transplant. This procedure is necessary when the patient suffers from a heart failure that limits their daily activity and all other treatment options have been exhausted.
The purpose of the transplant is to implant a heart from another person (usually from a donor in a state of brain death) to take over the functions of the heart of the sick person. Sometimes, heart disease causes lung problems or vice versa: pulmonary disease can cause heart disease. In these cases, the heart and the lungs must be transplanted, which is called a "cardiopulmonary transplant". Depending on the type of illness, one or both organs will be transplanted, whatever offers the maximum benefit at the lowest risk.
Before the intervention, a team of professionals must study the patient following a clinical and surgical protocol in order to guarantee success.
The operation is performed under general anaesthesia. During the process of heart transplant, the sick heart is removed and in its place a new one is implanted. Sometimes, it is also necessary to transplant the lungs.
In order to perform these operations, a multidisciplinary team of highly specialised and experienced professionals is required, as well as advanced technology and appropriate facilities.
Post-operative care is handled by the Intensive Care Unit, where intensive doctors, cardiac surgeons, cardiologists and pulmonologists take care of the patient until they are stable, when they are then moved on to a conventional hospital ward.
During this process, the doctor indicates personalised immunosuppressive therapy programme and infection prevention to be followed by the patient, along with any appropriate modifications that might be needed during the post-operative period.
A transfusion of blood and/or haemoderivatives is used to replace blood components that are vital for the survival of patients: blood cells, platelets and plasma, which cannot be replaced by other alternatives.
This treatment is indicated in patients who present a lack of essential blood components at any given time.
Transfusions carry a set of risks and the decision to undergo a transfusion should only be taken by a doctor after looking at the patient’s condition and taking an analysis and assessment of the situation. In this case, patients must always sign an authorisation document called an “informed consent” form.
Blood and its components are obtained from volunteers and altruistic donors. Before making a blood donation, donors must fill out a questionnaire about their state of health and, in addition, they must undergo a medical examination. All the blood components obtained are then analysed to make sure there are no diseases that can be transmitted through the blood.
Before making the transfusion, we must verify the blood derivative is compatible with the patient's blood. The physician in charge must assess the risk and benefits of treatment for the patient.
All the components are administered through a vein with a venous catheter.
Although blood transfusions are now very safe, some undesired side effects may occur:
The transmission of infectious diseases associated with blood is very unlikely nowadays. All donated blood is subject to prior analysis to find out about the blood group and prevent the transmission of infectious diseases such as syphilis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, Chagas disease and infectious diseases
The transmission of infectious diseases associated with blood is very unlikely nowadays. All donated blood is subject to prior analysis to find out about the blood group and prevent the transmission of infectious diseases such as syphilis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, Chagas disease and human T-lymphotrophic virus.
Chemotherapy consists of combining different types of medications that destroy cancer cells in different ways. It acts on these cells that are rapidly reproducing, cancer cells and healthy cells, too.
Chemotherapy is administered in different ways and for various reasons:
The human body is made up of different cells that each have a certain function. Cancer begins when a group of cells reproduces very quickly and uncontrollably. This affects the cells’ function and, therefore, stops the body functioning normally.
Chemotherapy acts on these cells, which may or may not be cancerous, that are rapidly reproducing. This causes side effects, which will depend on the medication, dose, duration and each individual person.
Chemotherapy can be intravenous or oral, meaning it can be administered by the vein or by the mouth. The first option is the most common.
To administer this treatment, sometimes a catheter is left in place that is then connected to a disc below the skin. The medication is administered through this device. This catheter is called a port-a-cath, although there are more types of catheters. The way the vein is accessed depends on the characteristics of the person and the duration of the treatment.
Chemotherapy is applied at intervals and the duration depends on the type of programme, control and treatment.
Chemotherapy can produce the following side effects:
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