This review outlines the physiologic principles, patient selection criteria, and specialized management strategies needed to safely use the adult-designed HeartMate 3 heart pump in children, small adults, and patients with congenital heart disease or muscular dystrophy.
A multi-center ACTION registry study found that while VAD removal following heart recovery is rare in children (about 3%), nearly three-quarters of those who underwent explantation remained alive without needing a transplant or new device at two-year follow-up.
Dear Community, We hope you are enjoying your summer vacations and finding time to rest and rejuvenate with your families! ACTION has been busy with new publications, tools, and resources. Special thanks to the Muscular Dystrophy & Heart Failure committees for new harmonization protocols, and to the Fontan Referral Improvement Project leadership & committee for launching the Provider Grand Rounds deck for Advanced Therapeutic Options for Fontan Patients!
The Pulse — July 2024 Read More »
Ventricular assist devices (VADs) have been increasingly implanted in pediatric patients. Paracorporeal VADs are generally chosen when intracorporeal continuous (IC) devices are too large. Superiority between IC and paracorporeal pulsatile (PP) devices remains unclear in smaller pediatric patients. Our study analyzes outcomes of IC and PP VADs in pediatric patients who could be considered for either of these options.
