title: Use of an Intrapericardial Continuous Flow Ventricular Assist Device in a 4-Year-Old Child Weighing 12 Kilograms.
abstract: Ventricular assist devices are implanted in patients with intractable heart failure as a bridge to cardiac transplantation to support the circulatory system mechanically. We present a report of a continuous flow ventricular assist device successfully placed as a bridge to transplantation in the intrapericardium of a petite-sized child with a BSA of 0.56 m2. Not only is the use of an intrapericardial, continuous-flow, centrifugal pump feasible for destination therapy, but also for low-weight pediatric patients with end-stage heart failure as a bridge to transplantation when there is chronic shortage of donor organs for heart transplantation. Consequently, the HeartWare system has been implanted in smaller patients with acceptable results, and this patient may be the youngest ever reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Istanbul Mehmet Akif Ersoy Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul. drmehmetkaya@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Korhan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Erkanlı
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Istanbul Mehmet Akif Ersoy Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul. drmehmetkaya@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover. drmehmetkaya@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Avşar
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Istanbul Mehmet Akif Ersoy Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul. drmehmetkaya@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: İhsan
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Bakır
mesh_terms: D001835:Body Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010496:Pericardium / Q000601:surgery*; D011474:Prosthesis Design