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Updated: Mar 25, 2026
Chronic Ovine Model of Right Ventricular Failure and Functional Tricuspid Regurgitation
Published on: March 17, 2023
HeartWare HVAD for Biventricular Support in Children and Adolescents: The Stanford Experience
Mary Lyn Stein1, Justin Yeh, Olaf Reinhartz
1From the *Pediatrics and Anesthesiology, Stanford Hospitals and Clinics, Stanford, California; †Pediatrics, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, California; ‡Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California; and §Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
Abstract:
Despite increasing use of mechanical circulatory support in children, experience with biventricular device implantation remains limited. We describe our experience using the HeartWare HVAD to provide biventricular support to three patients and compare these patients with five patients supported with HeartWare left ventricular assist device (LVAD). At the end of the study period, all three biventricular assist device (BiVAD) patients had been transplanted and were alive. LVAD patients were out of bed and ambulating a median of 10.5 days postimplantation. The BiVAD patients were out of bed a median of 31 days postimplantation. Pediatric patients with both left ventricular and biventricular heart failure can be successfully bridged to transplantation with the HeartWare HVAD. Rapid improvement in functional status following HVAD implantation for isolated left ventricular support is seen. Patients supported with BiVAD also demonstrate functional recovery, albeit more modestly. In the absence of infection, systemic inflammatory response raises concern for inadequate support.
