Heart transplant in a paediatric patient with restrictive cardiomyopathy on biventricular assist device support

The Berlin Heart EXCOR biventricular assist device was used as a bridge-to-transplant strategy in a six-year-old girl with severe restrictive cardiomyopathy. An orthotopic heart transplant was performed after full recovery of stable end organ function had been achieved. After a re-sternotomy and the release of adhesions, cannulation for the heart-lung machine was achieved centrally, and the EXCOR device was removed. After left atrial and aortic anastomoses, reperfusion of the donor organ was begun, and the pulmonary artery and caval anastomoses were performed on the beating donor heart.