Australian Experience with VAD as a Bridge to Paediatric Cardiac Transplantation

Abstract

The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne is the National Paediatric Heart Transplant Centre of Australia. A variety of ventricular assist devices (VADs) have been used effectively as a bridge to heart transplantation in adult patients, however, the experience in the paediatric population is limited. We present our initial experience using the Thoratec and Medos VAD systems as a bridge to heart transplantation in the designated centre for paediatric cardiac transplantation in Australia. The medical records of all patients supported with a Thoratec or Medos VAD at the RCH from July 2005 to July 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. Seven patients between 5 and 16 years of age were supported with..