by A groundbreaking implantable cardiac pump, designed to aid children with failing hearts while they wait for a heart transplant at home instead of in the hospital, has demonstrated impressive results in the initial phase of human trials.
This innovative ventricular assist device (VAD), known as the Jarvik 2015 ventricular assist device, is surgically attached to the heart to boost its blood-pumping function in individuals with heart failure. The device offers a significant advancement in heart transplant care for young patients.
In a feasibility trial involving seven children who received the new pump to sustain their ailing hearts, six ultimately underwent successful heart transplants, and one child’s heart healed, eliminating the need for a transplant. The study, published in the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, was spearheaded by the Stanford School of Medicine and collaborated with several medical centers across the United States.
If the early findings are substantiated in a larger trial, the wait for a heart transplant could become less burdensome for small children and their families. The compact Jarvik 2015 ventricular assist device, which is only slightly larger than an AA battery, can be implanted in children weighing as little as 18 pounds. With the device in place, kids can engage in various normal activities while they anticipate a heart transplant.
In contrast, the only available ventricular assist device for small children with failing hearts, the Berlin Heart, is not implantable. It is as large as a large suitcase, weighing between 60 and 200 pounds depending on the model. The device is connected to the child via two cannulas, which are nearly as large as garden hoses.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
