A nine-year-old girl ( 23 kg) was successfully bridged to heart transplantation with the TandemHeart® centrifugal pump for 10 days. Although this cardiac assist device has been used in adults for short-term mechanical support, its use in the pediatric population has not been widely reported. The TandemHeart® was easy to implant, achieved appropriate flows in this pediatric patient, and allowed for extubation and ambulation while awaiting a donor heart.
RajagopalVSteahrGWilnerCIRavalNY.. A novel percutaneous mechanical biventricular bridge to recovery in severe cardiac allograft rejection. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2010;29(1):93–95.
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SlaughterMSRogersJGMilanoCA. Advanced heart failure treated with continuous-flow left ventricular assist device. N Engl J Med. 2009;361(123):2241–2251.
