A multicenter study of the HeartWare HVAD ventricular assist device in small children

Continuous-flow ventricular assist devices (CF-VADs), designed for body surface areas (BSA) ≥1.2 m², have improved survival free from stroke and device failure in adults compared to pulsatile device.1 First experiences in larger children with these CF-VADs have been promising.2 However, a large proportion of children needing long-term support as a bridge to heart transplantation (HTx) have a BSA of ≤1m². These small children can be successfully supported with paracorporeal pulsatile devices.3 However, the rate of thromboembolic events continue to be an ongoing concern.
Source: The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation - Category: Transplant Surgery Authors: Source Type: research