title: Single-center experience with treatment of cardiogenic shock in children by pediatric ventricular assist devices.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pediatric ventricular assist devices may be superior to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in some respects, especially for medium- and long-term cardiac support. We present our nearly 20-year experience with pediatric ventricular assist devices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1990 and April 2009, Berlin Heart EXCOR (Berlin Heart AG, Berlin, Germany) was implanted in 94 children. Patients were compared according to period of treatment: group I, implantation between 1990 and 2001 (n = 45), and group II, implantation since 2002 (n = 49).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preoperative serum creatinine (1.2 vs 0.7 mg/dL, P = .002) and bilirubin (1.5 vs 1 mg/dL, P = .002) were lower in period II, and fewer patients were artificially ventilated before surgery (26 vs 13, P = .002). In period I, more patients were supported with biventricular assist devices (64% vs 22.5%, P < .001). Median time on support was shorter in period I (10 vs 40 days, P < .001). Success (weaning from system or heart transplant) was achieved in 49% and 69%, respectively (P = .043). Whereas in period I 17% of children younger than 1 year were discharged home after transplant or weaning, rate during period II was 93% (P < .001), in particular because of improvement in discharge rate of patients with postcardiotomy heart failure (13% vs 50%). Rates of pump exchange for thrombus formation were 0.029/d in period I and 0.014/d in period II (P = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recent results show significant improvements in survival and discharge rate, especially for children younger than 1 year. Pediatric Berlin Heart EXCOR ventricular assist device may provide a safe mechanical support strategy in children with cardiogenic shock.
authors.affiliation: Deutsches Herzzentrum, Berlin, Germany. hetzer@dhzb.de
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hetzer
authors.forename: Evgenij V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Potapov
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alexi-Meskishvili
authors.forename: Yuguo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Miera
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Ewald
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hennig
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hübler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012770:Shock, Cardiogenic / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D015415:Biomarkers; D003404:Creatinine; D001663:Bilirubin