Sarah Wilkens

Double Bridge to Heart Transplantation: Outcomes of Early vs Delayed Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenator Crossover in Pediatric Population

This study evaluates the progression of the distal aorta in patients with acute type A aortic dissection complicated by malperfusion syndrome who were treated with endovascular fenestration/stenting followed by delayed open aortic repair, finding that although these patients had faster distal aortic growth, their long-term survival and reoperation rates were similar to those without malperfusion syndrome.

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Multi-institutional outcomes of Impella use in pediatric patients: A brief communication from the ACTION Network

In this multicenter retrospective study of 150 pediatric patients supported with the Impella device, 89.3% achieved positive clinical outcomes despite a 28% adverse event rate. Findings suggest a potential role for Impella in managing refractory advanced heart failure in children, particularly those with cardiomyopathy, transplant graft dysfunction, or congenital heart disease.

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Cardiac Medication Use in ACTION for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Cardiomyopathy

In a prospective study of 265 males with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, nearly 30% of those with moderate or severe heart dysfunction were not receiving full consensus-directed cardiac therapy, and most did not reach target medication doses—highlighting the need to optimize treatment strategies as cardiac disease becomes a leading cause of death in DMD.

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Ventricular assist device implantation in children with a mechanical valve: An ACTION registry analysis

Patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) frequently have had valve interventions, including replacement with a mechanical valve. The impact of a mechanical valve on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation is not well characterized.

Ventricular assist device implantation in children with a mechanical valve: An ACTION registry analysis Read More »