VAD support for patients with Fontan circulatory failure is increasing, yet outcomes are largely unknown. Published on Nov. 21, 2021, Systemic ventricular assist device support of the Fontan circulation yields promising outcomes: An analysis of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Pedimacs and Intermacs Databases, is a retrospective analysis of 55 patients with a Fontan circulation who underwent VAD implant in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Pedimacs and Intermacs Databases from September 19, 2012, to December 31, 2019. The patient cohort had a median age at implantation of 10.2 years. The authors found positive outcomes in 81% of these patients at 6 months. VAD implants were able to support patients with Fontan circulation, with 5 patients supported >1 year and one supported for over 4.5 years. The median length of support was 3.8 years. This study is the largest reported analysis of systemic VAD support of Fontan patients and confirms that VAD use in this growing population can yield promising outcomes.
This study was published in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. Congratulations to authors Edo K S Bedzra, Iki Adachi, David M Peng, Shahnawaz Amdani, Jeffrey P Jacobs, Devin Koehl, Ari Cedars, David L Morales.
CITATION
Bedzra EKS, Adachi I, Peng DM, et al. Systemic ventricular assist device support of the Fontan circulation yields promising outcomes: An analysis of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Pedimacs and Intermacs Databases [published online ahead of print, 2021 Nov 27]. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2021;S0022-5223(21)01677-9. doi:10.1016/j.jtcvs.2021.11.054
