Single Ventricular Assist Device Support for the Failing Bidirectional Glenn Patient.

Background: Given poor outcomes, strategies to improve ventricular assist devices (VADs) for single-ventricle patients with bidirectional Glenn (BDG) palliation are needed.

Methods: This retrospective review describes an institutional experience with VAD support for patients with BDG from April 2011 to January 2019. Surgical strategies, complications, and causes of death are described.

Epoprostenol Therapy for a Pediatric Patient With Subacute Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia and a Ventricular Assist Device Undergoing Heart Transplant: A Case Report.

Concerns remain regarding the use of direct thrombin inhibitors for cardiopulmonary bypass anticoagulation in pediatric patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia undergoing complex cardiac surgery. We describe the safe and effective use of epoprostenol sodium as an alternative therapy before heparin exposure for a pediatric patient with subacute heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and a ventricular assist device undergoing heart transplant.

HeartWare HVAD for Biventricular Support in Children and Adolescents: The Stanford Experience.

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.