Right heart failure (RHF) after LVAD implantation can negatively impact a child’s transplant candidacy and survival. Successful LVAD outcomes require anticipation, prevention, early identification, and management of RHF, but there is little pediatric-focused evidence to guide practice. This review summarizes the existing literature and describes ACTION’s harmonized approach to RHF: “Right heart failure considerations in pediatric ventricular assist devices”
This review was published on March 5, 2021 in Pediatric Transplantation, the official journal of the International Pediatric Transplant Association. ACTION leaders/members created the document to share best practices and experiences across the pediatric VAD community—with the ultimate goal of improving RHF outcomes. The concise document covers how we think about and manage right heart failure before, during, and after LVAD implantation.
ACTION co-authors include:
- David Morales, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
- Joshua Friedland‐Little, Seattle Children’s Hospital
- Anna Joong, Lurie Children’s Hospital
- Neha Bansal, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore
- David Sutcliffe, Children’s Mercy Kanas City
- Mary Mehegan, St. Louis Children’s Hospital
- Kathleen Simpson, Children’s Hospital Colorado
- Jennifer Conway, Stollery Children’s Hospital
- David Peng, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital
CITATION
Law SP, Morales DLS, Si MS, Friedland-Little JM, Joong A, Bearl DW, Bansal N, Sutcliffe DL, Philip J, Mehegan M, Simpson KE, Conway J, Peng DM; ACTION Learning Network. Right heart failure considerations in pediatric ventricular assist devices. Pediatr Transplant. 2021 Mar 5:e13990. doi: 10.1111/petr.13990. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33666316.
