Use of a Long Term Ventricular Assist Device with a Modified Circuit and Modified Care Model for Short Term Extracorporeal Support: An Institutional Experience

The industry of supportive mechanical devices has the pressure of needing to produce products that are reliable, durable, cost effective, and require low maintenance and oversight. In the pediatric population, mechanical support for patients with congenital heart disease is an ongoing challenge. Here we briefly describe our institution’s experience in providing short term extracorporeal support for pediatric congenital heart disease patients through innovative modifications to traditional extracorporeal circuitry and strategies.