title: Berlin Heart EXCOR Ventricular Assist Device: Multilayer Membrane Rupture in a Pediatric Patient.
abstract: A 2-year-old child was implanted with an Berlin Heart EXCOR Ventricular Assist Device (Berlin Heart, Berlin, Germany) as a bridge to heart transplantation for idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. At postoperative day 296, a significant reduction of membrane movement was observed. The device was explanted and tested on a hydronumerical circulation simulator. Findings suggested that the integrity of the multilayered membrane had been compromised. This was confirmed by a computed tomography scan of the device. The computed tomography evidenced a detachment of the 3-layered membrane, with a thinner, convex layer on the side of the air chamber and an opposite convexity of the remaining membranes. These showed an additional air space within the layers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Pediatric Hospital Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: arianna.dimolfetta@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Molfetta
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Pediatric Hospital Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Filippelli
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Engineering Laboratory-Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Pediatric Hospital Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Aurelio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Secinaro
authors.affiliation: Nałęcz Institute of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Krystzof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zielinski
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Pediatric Hospital Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amodeo
mesh_terms: D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D020878:Device Removal; D004867:Equipment Design; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012086:Reoperation / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014850:Waiting Lists