title: Ventricular assist device as a bridge to heart transplantation in children.
abstract: The ventricular assist device (VAD) is a life-saving option for patients in heart failure refractory for conventional therapy. The aim of study was to assess the influence of VAD on heart transplantation (HT) outcome in children <16 years. Between October 1988 and August 2008, 73 children underwent HT: Group 1 (n=9) who received VAD as bridge to HT (left ventricular - 4, biventricular - 5), and Group 2 (n=64), without previous VAD. Diagnoses included cardiomyopathy (n=50 (68.5%)) and congenital heart defects (n=23 (31.5%)). Retrospective analysis of perioperative and long-term follow-up data was performed. The mean follow-up was 7.22+/-4.7 years. The diagnosis of cardiomyopathy appeared more often in Group 1 (P=0.074), but the difference was not significant. The two groups did not differ with respect to age (P=0.123) and weight (P=0.183). Mortality in long follow-up was: 11.1% (n=1) in Group 1 and 14.1% (n=9) in Group 2 (P=0.782). Analysis of preoperative end-organs function did not reveal significant differences between groups. There was also no significant differences with respect to waiting time for transplant (P=0.948), postoperative ventilatory support time (P=0.677), duration of hospital stay (P=0.711) and incidence of acute rejection episodes (P=0.156). VAD used as a bridge for HT in children does not negatively influence the outcome.
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Klinikum Grosshadern, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany. mijanusz@cyf-kr.edu.pl
authors: Katarzyna
authors: K
authors: Januszewska
authors: Edward
authors: E
authors: Malec
authors: Julia
authors: J
authors: Birnbaum
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Loeff
authors: Ralf
authors: R
authors: Sodian
authors: Christoph
authors: C
authors: Schmitz
authors: Heinrich
authors: H
authors: Netz
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Reichart
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008904:Miniaturization; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D012086:Reoperation; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014850:Waiting Lists