Initial Experience With the TandemHeart Circulatory Support System in Children

• Published in: ASAIO journal (1992) Vol. 54; no. 5; pp. 542 - 545
• Main Authors: Ricci, Marco, Gaughan, Colleen B, Rossi, Michael, Andreopoulos, Fotios M, Novello, Courtney, Salerno, Tomas A, Rosenkranz, Eliot R, Panos, Anthony L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Amercian Society of Artificial Internal Organs 01-09-2008
• Subjects: Adolescent; Anticoagulants - administration & dosage; Child; Continuous Positive Airway Pressure - methods; Fatal Outcome; Female; Fontan Procedure - adverse effects; Heart-Assist Devices; Heparin - administration & dosage; Humans; Infusions, Intravenous; Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping - methods; Male; Models, Cardiovascular; Multiple Organ Failure - physiopathology; Partial Thromboplastin Time - methods; Treatment Outcome; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency - diagnostic imaging; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency - physiopathology; Ultrasonography; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right - diagnostic imaging; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right - surgery
• ISSN: 1058-2916; 1538-943X
• DOI: 10.1097/MAT.0b013e31818312f1

Options for mechanical ventricular assistance in pediatric patients are limited. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is used in most cases for short-term support. The TandemHeart circulatory support system is an established device that is used in adult patients to provide short-term ventricular support. In this article, we report three children in whom a TandemHeart ventricular assist device was used for right ventricular support, two after heart transplantation and another for failed Fontan physiology. Herein, we report the novel application of this technology to pediatric patients, and we discuss the lessons learned from its utilization.