Intensive Care and Long-Term Ventilation

There are two dedicated wards (147i and 149A) for the treatment of invasively and non-invasively ventilated patients. 

The treatment spectrum of these wards includes the care of patients with

• neuromuscular diseases (e.g. amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, muscular dystrophy).
• diseases of the thorax (e.g. scoliosis).
• lung diseases (e.g. COPD).
• severe overweight.
• pulmonary hypertension (pulmonary hypertension).
• mask ventilation.

We also treat patients before and after lung transplantation and those with existing ventilation requiring inpatient admission for other medical reasons on the respective wards.

Please find contact information on wards 147i and 149A here.

For those patients receiving invasive and non-invasive ventilation outside the hospital, the Charité Center for Out-of-Hospital Ventilation (CABS) is a central component of respiratory medicine.

Please find more details about CABS here.

Our multidisciplinary team of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) 144i provides treatment at the highest standard of care for patients with any type of severe, acute medical condition. Our ICU is a specialized unit within the Charité ARDS-ECMO Center, primarily focused on managing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Our expert team is comprised of intensivists, ITU nursing staff and cardio-respiratory technicians and enables the comprehensive application of various types of lung replacement therapy. The ICU's ECMO-team is part of a 24/7 emergency service for the city of Berlin and its surrounding areas, with the cpability to promptly initiate ECMO-therapy for critically ill patients and facilitate their transfer to specialized ECMO units.

Also, we cooperate with the German Heart Center of the Charité to enable lung replacement therapy for those patients with terminal lung injuries awaiting lung transplantation

Your loved one's stay in our intensive care unit is naturally associated with great concern on your side. In the ICU it is often necessary that patients are connected to many apparatuses and devices of medical technology in order to monitor him or her around the clock and to deliver optimal treatment. Numerous questions will run through your mind.

It is imperative that your family member treated on our ICU remains closely monitored, connected to various medical apparatuses and to state-of-the-art devices to provide the best possible medical care. You probably have numerous questions and concerns during this challenging time. Our aim is to ensure that you are not left alone with your worries.

However, due to organizational and data protection requirements, we kindly request that communication be primarily channeled through one or two designated family contacts. Should you wish to receive updates on your relative's medical condition during a doctor's consultation, we kindly ask you to coordinate the timing with the attending nurse.

Rest assured that we are dedicated to providing the highest level of care to your loved one.

• Visiting hours: In order to allow you as much time as possible with your relatives, we do not specify strict visiting hours, but we would like to ask you to be considerate of the other patients, to keep to the night's rest from 8 pm onwards and, if possible, to arrange your visits with the nursing staff. Our experience has shown that the best time for visits and doctor's consultations is between 2:30 pm and 8 pm. However, you might have to wait due to organisational measures (ward rounds, personal hygiene, examinations, etc.) or unforeseeable events.
• Bringing along gifts: No cut flowers and no potted plants are allowed on the ICUs for hygienic reasons. Instead, please feel free to bring your relative's personal body care products. Our experience has shown that many patients prefer this approach, even though all essential care items are accessible on the ward. Music, photos and other personal items can also be brought along by visitors, as they contribute to the patient's well-being.
• Protection: Visitors are generally not required to wear protective clothing. However, should this be necessary for medical reasons, we will instruct you how to put it on. You are required to disinfect your hands before and after your visit, and to wear a face mask should you have a cold. 
• Fear of contact: Please do not be afraid to physicially touch your relative lying on the ICU, as physical touch in addition to hearing a loved one's voice has shown to promote recovery.