THE HEMOPUMP AS A LEFT-VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICE IN PEDIATRIC APPLICATIONS - INITIAL CANADIAN APPLICATIONS

Three children aged 11 months, and eight and nine years were supported with a Hemopump as a potentially life saving measure for circulatory failure. Left ventricular assist time ranged from 10 to 32 h. None of the three patients could be successfully weaned from the device becaus e of complications of bleeding, arrhythmia or neurological insult. Des pite poor outcomes, each patient demonstrated important hemodynamic st abilization with the device. The Hemopump is suggested as a potentiall y life saving treatment modality for selected pediatric patients who h ave critical left ventricular failure.