Mechanical left ventricular support as a bridge to cardiac transplantation in childhood

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Abstract
The mechanical extrathoracic "Berlin Heart" cardiac assist device wasused for left ventricular support in an 8-year-old child of 27 kg bodyweight. Terminal left ventricular failure and life-threatening ventriculartachyarrhythmias in this child were sequelae of coarctation of the aorta,aortic stenosis and resultant severe left ventricular dilatation,hypokinesia and fibrosis. With the assist device, cardiogenic shock couldbe reversed. The child was extubated and mobilized during an 8-day waitingperiod for orthotopic heart transplantation. This case illustrates that theuse of ventricular assist devices can be successfully extended to childrenand may be advantageous compared to other techniques of mechanicalcirculatory support, such as balloon pumping or extracorporeal membraneoxygenation.

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