A total artificial heart for neonates allowing bridging to transplantation.
Since the early 1980s, a rapid increase in successful pediatric heart transplantation has improved the chance of survival for many children suffering from otherwise fatal cardiomyopathies or congenital cardiac defects. During the last 5 years, heart transplantation in neonates and infants (0-28 days and 1-12 months, respectively) has been the most rapidly growing area within the pediatric patient population. No adequate mechanical circulatory support system, designed to be used as a bridge to transplantation, is available for many of these pediatric patients. Neonates are the smallest candidates to potentially benefit from heart transplantation, and their often acute need for either heart transplantation or temporary circulatory support indicates that any new development of a pediatric bridging device should focus on this youngest group. Subsequently, such a device may be modified to any weight or age group. An innovative total artificial heart design was developed in an attempt to meet the anatomic and physiologic requirements of neonates and infants. This report discusses the rapidly growing pediatric heart transplantation patient population, as well as an innovative total artificial heart design.
Koppert
E
E
Artificial Heart Research Laboratory, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84103-1414.
Holfert
J W
JW
Dew
P A
PA
Pauley
J
J
Pantalos
G M
GM
Crump
K R
KR
Burns
G L
GL
D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology; D004867:Equipment Design; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006354:Heart, Artificial; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010865:Pilot Projects