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The Evolution of a Pediatric Ventricular Assist Device Program: The Boston Children's Hospital Experience

Beth Hawkins1, Francis Fynn-Thompson2, Kevin P Daly3,4

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. beth.hawkins@cardio.chboston.org.

Pediatric Cardiology
|May 1, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Developing a pediatric ventricular assist device (VAD) program requires a dedicated interdisciplinary team and robust infrastructure. This paper shares Boston Children's Hospital's decade of experience, offering crucial lessons for managing complex pediatric VAD patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric cardiology
  • Mechanical circulatory support
  • Biomedical engineering

Background:

  • Ventricular assist devices (VADs) for pediatric patients have seen significant advancements.
  • Outpatient VAD support is expanding, often outpacing program preparedness.
  • Managing pediatric VADs presents unique clinical, programmatic, and administrative challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the Boston Children's Hospital's decade-long experience with pediatric VADs.
  • To share lessons learned in developing a specialized pediatric VAD program.
  • To highlight key components for successful pediatric VAD care.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of a decade of VAD program data at Boston Children's Hospital.
  • Focus on a high-risk, low-volume pediatric patient population.
  • Analysis of clinical, programmatic, and administrative aspects of VAD care.

Main Results:

  • Successful implementation and growth of a pediatric VAD program over 10 years.
  • Identification of critical success factors including a dedicated VAD coordinator and strong clinical infrastructure.
  • Demonstration of innovative inpatient and outpatient VAD support strategies.

Conclusions:

  • A comprehensive, interdisciplinary VAD program is essential for safe and effective pediatric VAD support.
  • The VAD coordinator role is paramount in managing complex pediatric patients.
  • Continuous innovation in care delivery is vital for pediatric VAD programs.

Keywords:
Outpatient VAD programPediatric VADPediatric VAD programVAD coordinatorVentricular assist device

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