Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2025
Use of Two Intracorporeal Ventricular Assist Devices As a Total Artificial Heart
Published on: May 11, 2018
An Up-to-Date Literature Review on Ventricular Assist Devices Experience in Pediatric Hearts
Ștefana Maria Moisă1, Alexandru Burlacu2,3, Crischentian Brinza2,3
1Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, "Gr. T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania.
Insights
Pediatric ventricular assist devices (VAD) offer a crucial bridge to heart transplantation for children with advanced heart conditions. Early VAD implantation can improve outcomes and allow recovery before long-term solutions are needed.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric cardiology
- Medical device technology
- Congenital heart disease management
Background:
- Ventricular assist devices (VAD) are increasingly used in children awaiting heart transplants.
- Improved palliation allows children with congenital heart defects and cardiomyopathies to live longer, increasing the need for VADs.
- VADs serve as a vital bridge to transplantation for pediatric patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review VADs approved for pediatric use.
- To analyze implant indications, adverse effects, and outcomes of pediatric VADs.
- To assess the role of VADs in managing pediatric heart failure.
Main Methods:
- Searched Medline, Embase, and ScienceDirect for eligible studies.
- Included 16 studies focusing on five different VADs in children.
- Critically reviewed VADs based on specific criteria.
Main Results:
- Common adverse effects include thromboembolism, infection, bleeding, and hemolysis.
- Two FDA-approved VAD types exist: pulsatile and continuous flow (axial and centrifugal).
- Early left VAD (LVAD) use may prevent end-organ dysfunction and improve patient recovery.
Conclusions:
- Ventricular assist devices are essential for pediatric heart transplant candidates.
- Careful patient selection and early intervention with LVADs are critical.
- Managing adverse effects is key to successful VAD therapy in children.
Abstract:
Ventricular assist devices (VAD) have gained popularity in the pediatric population during recent years, as more and more children require a heart transplant due to improved palliation methods, allowing congenital heart defect patients and children with cardiomyopathies to live longer. Eventually, these children may require heart transplantation, and ventricular assist devices provide a bridge to transplantation in these cases. The FDA has so far approved two types of device: pulsatile and continuous flow (non-pulsatile), which can be axial and centrifugal. Potential eligible studies were searched in three databases: Medline, Embase, and ScienceDirect. Our endeavor retrieved 16 eligible studies focusing on five ventricular assist devices in children. We critically reviewed ventricular assist devices approved for pediatric use in terms of implant indication, main adverse effects, and outcomes. The main adverse effects associated with these devices have been noted to be thromboembolism, infection, bleeding, and hemolysis. However, utilizing left VAD early on, before end-organ dysfunction and deterioration of heart function, may give the patient enough time to recuperate before considering a more long-term solution for ventricular support.
