title: Australian experience with VAD as a bridge to paediatric cardiac transplantation.
abstract: The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne is the National Paediatric Heart Transplant Centre of Australia. A variety of ventricular assist devices (VADs) have been used effectively as a bridge to heart transplantation in adult patients, however, the experience in the paediatric population is limited. We present our initial experience using the Thoratec and Medos VAD systems as a bridge to heart transplantation in the designated centre for paediatric cardiac transplantation in Australia. The medical records of all patients supported with a Thoratec or Medos VAD at the RCH from July 2005 to July 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. Seven patients between 5 and 16 years of age were supported with the Thoratec or Medos VAD during the period of study. All of the patients were supported with a left sided ventricular assist device (LVAD). The length of time supported ranged from 6 to 230 days, with a median of 22 days. Co-morbidities included surgical re-exploration for bleeding, cannula site wound infections and thromboembolic events. Two patients died before a donor heart became available. From our limited experience, the use of a VAD as a bridge to heart transplantation is a feasible option for children with end stage cardiac failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia. hollie.mccaig@rch.org.au
authors.forename: Hollie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gilmore
authors.forename: Kenneth John
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Weintraub
authors.forename: Jodi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hislop
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Negri
authors.forename: Christian P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Brizard
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: d'Udekem
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004867:Equipment Design; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics; D012189:Retrospective Studies