Pediatric mechanical circulatory support - a review.

The history of mechanical circulatory support began in 1953, as the first heart-lung machine enabled surgeons to perform complex open heart surgery. Heart failure is more prevalent in adults than pediatric patients which has led to the development of devices for adults with end-stage heart failure at a faster pace. Pediatric mechanical circulatory support has been derived from adult durable devices and subsequently applied in the adolescent population. The application of adult devices in children is inherently problematic due to size mismatch, especially in smaller patients. There has been an increasing interest in developing durable pumps that are appropriate for children for several reasons, with the primary factor being the number of children with end-stage heart failure far exceeding the number of potential donors. Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) for children can be divided into short-term temporary support and long-term durable support. The goal of this review is to discuss the devices available for the pediatric population and review the options for support in complex patients including single-ventricle anatomy, biventricular support, and total artificial heart options. We will also briefly discuss the Pumps for Kids, Infants, and Neonates (PumpKIN) Trial and MCS registries, including the Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network (ACTION).