The Berlin Heart EXCOR Pediatrics—The SickKids Experience 2004–2008

The ventricular assist device (VAD) Berlin Heart EXCOR Pediatrics was utilized at our institution since 2004 for bridging pediatric patients to cardiac transplantation or myocardial recovery. The present study reviewed our results following VAD implantation. We retrospectively reviewed patients that underwent implantation of a VAD between October 2004 and October 2008. Data collected included age at implantation, gender, weight, underlying disease, pre- and postdevice clinical status, complications, and outcome. Fifteen patients were identified (9 female and 6 male, average age: 8.8 years, range 0.3-14.8; average weight 31.1 kg, range 5.2-86.4). Indications for VAD support were dilated cardiomyopathy in 14 patients and progressing heart failure with a single ventricle physiology (bidirectional Glenn shunt) in one patient. Three patients (20%) were bridged from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation to VAD. Average support was 29 (1-108) days. Fourteen patients were on a bi-VAD, one patient (single ventricle) had single VAD support. Three patients developed mediastinal/pericardial fluid collections, requiring surgical exploration in two, and drain insertion in one. Three patients presented with neurological symptoms. In two patients, a total of three blood pumps were exchanged due to thrombus formation. No patient was weaned off the VAD; two patients (13%) died on the VAD. All surviving patients are neurologically intact at follow-up. In our experience, VAD support provides an effective means of bridging children with advanced dilated cardiomyopathy or heart failure to transplantation with a relatively small number of complications and deaths given the complexity of the patient population.