Preliminary Single Center North American Experience With The Berlin Heart Pediatric EXCOR Device
- 1 September 2008
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) in Asaio Journal
- Vol. 54 (5), 479-482
- https://doi.org/10.1097/mat.0b013e318184e200
Abstract
For children requiring mechanical circulatory support as a bridge to cardiac transplantation in North America, options previously were limited to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or centrifugal pump ventricular assist, both of which were suitable for only very short term application and were associated with significant complications and limitations. The Berlin Heart EXCOR ventricular assist device (VAD) was recently introduced into practice in North America to address this deficiency. We report a preliminary single center experience with the EXCOR in 17 children, 13 who received only a left-sided pump and four who required biventricular support. Before EXCOR placement, six patients were on ECMO, and one was on a centrifugal VAD. Eleven children were bridged to transplantation, one was bridged to recovery, and one remains on support. Three children died during support and one died after explantation. There was one late death nearly 2 years after transplant. Complications included stroke in seven patients, two of which were ultimately fatal. Five patients required re-operations for bleeding or evacuation of hematoma. Despite a disappointing rate of neurologic morbidity, our preliminary experience with the EXCOR has been very encouraging.Keywords
This publication has 14 references indexed in Scilit:
- New devices for pediatric mechanical circulatory supportCurrent Opinion in Cardiology, 2008
- Pneumatic Paracorporeal Ventricular Assist Device in Infants and Children: Initial Stanford ExperienceThe Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, 2008
- Mechanical Cardiac Support in the Young With the Berlin Heart EXCOR Pulsatile Ventricular Assist Device: 15 Years’ ExperienceSeminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery: Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Annual, 2006
- Outcomes of Children Bridged to Heart Transplantation With Ventricular Assist DevicesCirculation, 2006
- Pediatric Bridge to Heart Transplantation: Application of the Berlin Heart, Medos and Thoratec Ventricular Assist DevicesThe Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, 2006
- The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Pediatric Circulatory Support ProgramCirculation, 2006
- Pediatric arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridge to cardiac transplantationThe Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, 2003
- Current Clinical Status of Pulsatile Pediatric Circulatory SupportASAIO Journal, 2002
- Mechanical circulatory support for infants and children with cardiac diseaseThe Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 2002
- Mechanical left ventricular support as a bridge to cardiac transplantation in childhoodEuropean Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 1991