Successful bridge to transplant with the Berlin Heart after cavopulmonary shunt

J Heart Lung Transplant. 2009 Apr;28(4):399-401. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2008.12.009. Epub 2009 Feb 20.

Abstract

Mechanical cardiac assistance for infants and children may be accomplished using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or ventricular assist device support, and are now well established as a bridge to cardiac transplantation or recovery in biventricular hearts, usually in the setting of low cardiac output states due to cardiomyopathy or acute myocarditis. Ventricular assist device support remains less well described in the setting of single ventricle physiology. We report the case of a 3-year-old girl who developed severe right ventricular failure 2 years after cavopulmonary shunt after an initial Stage I Norwood operation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. She was successfully supported to cardiac transplantation using a single chamber Berlin Heart EXCOR ventricular assist device using right ventricular apex and aortic cannulation and is now well at home 10 months after transplant.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aorta, Thoracic / surgery*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Electrocardiography
  • Female
  • Heart Transplantation / physiology*
  • Heart-Assist Devices*
  • Humans
  • Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome / surgery*
  • Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome / therapy
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Transplantation, Homologous
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency / diagnostic imaging
  • Ultrasonography