Waitlist and posttransplant outcomes of critically ill infants awaiting heart transplantation managed without ventricular assist device support.

BACKGROUND: Infants listed for heart transplant are at high risk for waitlist mortality. While waitlist mortality for children has decreased in the current era of increased ventricular assist device use, outcomes for small infants supported by ventricular assist device remain suboptimal. We evaluated morbidity and survival in critically ill infants listed for heart transplant and managed without ventricular assist device support. METHODS: Critically ill infants (requiring ≥1 inotrope and mechanical ventilation or ≥2 inotropes without mechanical ventilation) listed between 2008 and 2019 were included. During the study period, infants were managed primarily medically. Mechanical circulatory support, specifically extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, was utilized as "rescue therapy" for decompensating patients. RESULTS: Thirty-two infants were listed 1A, 66% with congenital heart disease. Median age and weight at listing were 2.2 months and 4.4 kg, with 69% weighing <5 kg. At listing, 97% were mechanically ventilated, 41% on ≥2 inotropes, and 25% under neuromuscular blockade. Five patients were supported by ECMO after listing. A favorable outcome (transplant or recovery) was observed in 84%. One-year posttransplant survival was 92%. Infection was the most common waitlist complication occurring in 75%. Stroke was rare, occurring in one patient who was supported on ECMO. Renal function improved from listing to transplant, death, or recovery (eGFR 70 vs 87 ml/min/1.73m2 , p = .001). CONCLUSION: A strategy incorporating a high threshold for mechanical circulatory support and acceptance of prolonged mechanical ventilation and neuromuscular blockade can achieve good survival and morbidity outcomes for critically ill infants listed for heart transplant.

Antithrombin concentrates use in children on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether receipt of any antithrombin concentrate improves laboratory and clinical outcomes in children undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for respiratory failure during their hospitalization compared with those who did not receive antithrombin. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Single, tertiary-care pediatric hospital. PATIENTS: Sixty-four neonatal and pediatric patients who underwent extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for respiratory failure between January 2007 and September 2011. INTERVENTION: Exposure to any antithrombin concentrate during their extracorporeal membrane oxygenation course compared with similar children who never received antithrombin concentrate. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Thirty patients received at least one dose of antithrombin during their extracorporeal membrane oxygenation course and 34 patients did not receive any. The median age at admission was less than 1-month old. Age, duration of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or first antithrombin level did not differ significantly between the two cohorts. The mean plasma antithrombin level in those who never received antithrombin was 42.2% compared with 66% in those who received it. However, few levels reached the targeted antithrombin level of 120% and those who did fell back to deficient levels within an average of 6.8 hours. For those who received antithrombin concentrate, heparin infusion rates decreased by an average of 10.2 U/kg/hr for at least 12 hours following administration. No statistical differences were noted in the number of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation circuit changes, in vivo clots or hemorrhages, transfusion requirements, hospital or ICU length of stay, or in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Intermittent, on-demand dosing of antithrombin concentrate in pediatric patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for respiratory failure increased antithrombin levels, but not typically to the targeted level. Patients who received antithrombin concentrate also had decreased heparin requirements for at least 12 hours after dosing. However, no differences were noted in the measured clinical endpoints. A prospective, randomized study of this intervention may require different dosing strategies; such a study is warranted given the unproven efficacy of this costly product.

Use of venovenous extracorporeal life support in pediatric patients for cardiac indications: a review of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization registry.

OBJECTIVE: To describe survival outcomes for pediatric patients supported on venovenous extracorporeal life support with cardiac indications and identify predictors of successful application of venovenous extracorporeal life support. DESIGN: Retrospective review of Extracorporeal Life Support Organization registry database. SETTING: Data reported from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation centers to the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization. PATIENTS: Patients ≤18 yrs of age with cardiac diagnoses initiated on venovenous extracorporeal life support during 1985 to 2007. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of 8,551 reported pediatric extracorporeal life support cases for cardiac indications during 1985 to 2007, 133 patients received venovenous extracorporeal life support (1.6%); 56 (42%) survived to hospital discharge, comprising the venovenous success group. Of 77 (58%) in the venovenous failure group, 45 (34%) died on venovenous extracorporeal life support and 32 (24%) were converted to venoarterial extracorporeal life support. Median duration of extracorporeal life support course was shorter in the venovenous success group (76 vs. 133 hrs, odds ratio 1.01, 95% confidence interval 1.00-1.01). In the univariate analysis, patients in the venovenous failure group had lower median arterial pH (odds ratio 0.06, 95% confidence intervals 0.01-0.61) and higher PaO(2) (odds ratio 1.02, 95% confidence interval 1.00-1.04). Complications from extracorporeal life support, including receipt of renal replacement therapy (odds ratio 4.35, 95% confidence interval 1.87-10.11), surgical hemorrhage (odds ratio 2.56, 95% confidence interval 1.05-6.25), use of inotropic infusions (odds ratio 2.53, 95% confidence interval 1.24-5.15), and infections (odds ratio 4.99, 95% confidence interval 1.07-23.25), were associated with increased odds for venovenous failure. In a multivariable model, the highest PaO(2) (PaO(2) ≥52 torr) compared to the lowest (PaO(2) ≤ 22 torr) (odds ratio 3.75, 95% confidence interval 1.11-12.57), and use of renal replacement therapy (odds ratio 4.35, 95% confidence interval 1.8710.11) were associated with increased odds of venovenous failure. CONCLUSION: Venovenous extracorporeal life support appears to be an appropriate choice in some children with cardiac failure but better definition of this population is needed.

Examining palliative care team involvement in automatic consultations for children on extracorporeal life support in the pediatric intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) is an advanced form of life-sustaining therapy that creates stressful dilemmas for families. In May 2009, Seattle Children's Hospital (SCH) implemented a policy to involve the Pediatric Advanced Care Team (PACT) in all ECLS cases through automatic referral. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to describe PACT involvement in the context of automatic consultations for ECLS patients and their family members. METHODS: We retrospectively examined chart notes for 59 consecutive cases and used content analysis to identify themes and patterns. RESULTS: The degree of PACT involvement was related to three domains: prognostic uncertainty, medical complexity, and need for coordination of care with other services. Low PACT involvement was associated with cases with little prognostic uncertainty, little medical complexity, and minimal need for coordination of care. Medium PACT involvement was associated with two categories of cases: 1) those with a degree of medical complexity but little prognostic uncertainty; and 2) those that had a degree of prognostic uncertainty but little medical complexity. High PACT involvement had the greatest medical complexity and prognostic uncertainty, and also had those cases with a high need for coordination of care. CONCLUSIONS: We describe a framework for understanding the potential involvement of palliative care among patients receiving ECLS that explains how PACT organizes its efforts toward patients and families with the highest degree of need. Future studies should examine whether this approach is associated with improved patient and family outcomes.

Minimizing bleeding associated with mechanical circulatory support following pediatric heart surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to support patients with early postcardiotomy heart failure may be associated with catastrophic bleeding, making its use undesirable. However, postcardiotomy mechanical circulatory assistance is necessary in some patients to allow for myocardial recovery. We have assembled a centrifugal pump system (CPS) that does not require early systemic anticoagulation. This study compares postoperative bleeding in pediatric patients placed on standard ECMO versus CPS within 24h of cardiotomy. METHODS: Between November 2002 and February 2007, 25 patients (age 0 days-1.72 years) received postcardiotomy mechanical support. Fourteen patients were placed on ECMO and 11 patients were placed on CPS within 24h of surgical repair. Retrospective analysis was performed of chest-tube drainage at multiple time points following initiation of mechanical support. Additional variables, including Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery-1 (RACHS-1) score, total time on mechanical support, 30-day mortality, activated clotting time, blood-product administration, circuit-related complications, and circuit changes were also analyzed. RESULTS: Patients on ECMO (0.30 ± 0.39 years) and CPS (0.40 ± 0.56 years) were of similar age (p = 0.64). Patients on ECMO (0.3 ± 0.1m(2)) and CPS (0.3 ± 0.1m(2)) had similar body surface areas (p = 0.46). Patients placed on CPS had significantly less chest-tube drainage during the first 4h of support. Activated clotting times appeared to be higher during the first 12h of ECMO versus CPS. There was no statistical difference between ECMO and CPS with respect to the following variables: RACHS-1 score, time on support, 30-day mortality, circuit-related complications, and circuit changes. Blood-product administration at 24h of support was significantly less (p = 0.04) for patients on CPS versus ECMO. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical circulatory support can be provided without the complication of clinically significant bleeding if a specialized circuit is used. This has important implications for the decision to use mechanical support in the immediate postoperative period in the face of ventricular failure. In addition, early mechanical support can be used with a low incidence of circuit-related complications.

Bridging children of all sizes to cardiac transplantation: the initial multicenter North American experience with the Berlin Heart EXCOR ventricular assist device.

BACKGROUND: Beginning in 2000 and accelerating in 2004, the Berlin Heart EXCOR (Berlin Heart Inc Woodlands, TX) became the first pediatric-specific ventricular assist device (VAD) applied throughout North America for children of all sizes. This retrospective study analyzed the initial Berlin Heart EXCOR pediatric experience as a bridge to transplantation. METHODS: Between June 2000 and May 2007, 97 EXCOR VADs were implanted in North America at 29 different institutions. The analysis is limited to 73 patients (75%) from 17 institutions, for which retrospective data were available. RESULTS: Median age and weight at VAD implant were 2.1 years (range, 12 days-17.8 years) and 11 kg (range, 3-87.6 kg), respectively. The primary diagnoses were dilated cardiomyopathy in 42 (58%), congenital heart disease in 19 (26%), myocarditis in 7 (10%), and other cardiomyopathies in 5 (7%). Pre-implant clinical condition was critical cardiogenic shock in 38 (52%), progressive decline in 33 (45%), or other in 2 (3%). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was used as a bridge to EXCOR in 22 patients (30%). Device selection was left VAD (LVAD) in 42 (57%) and biventricular assist devices (BiVAD) in 31 (43%). The EXCOR bridged 51 patients (70%) to transplant and 5 (7%) to recovery. Mortality on the EXCOR was 23% (n = 17) overall, including 35% (11 of 31) in BiVAD vs 14% (6 of 42) in LVAD patients (p = 0.003). Multivariate analysis showed younger age and BiVAD support were significant risk factors for death while on the EXCOR. CONCLUSIONS: This limited but large preliminary North American experience with the Berlin Heart EXCOR VAD as a bridge to cardiac transplantation for children of all ages and sizes points to the feasibility of this approach. The prospective investigational device evaluation trial presently underway will further characterize the safety and efficacy of the EXCOR as a bridge to pediatric cardiac transplantation.

Trends in pediatric organ donation after cardiac death.

OBJECTIVE: Organ donation after cardiac death is viewed as one way of partially closing the current gap between organ supply and demand. There are no published guidelines for organ donation after cardiac death specific to the pediatric population. The objective of this study was to examine the cumulative pediatric donation-after-cardiac-death experience to set the context for the development and sharing of best-practice guidelines. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective, descriptive study that used data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/United Network for Organ Sharing database from 1993 to 2005. Organ data from all donors after cardiac death who were < 18 years of age were analyzed. The list of donor medical centers was then cross-referenced with the member list from the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions. RESULTS: There were 683 organs from donation-after-cardiac-death donors < 18 years of age. Of those, < 5% were used for pediatric recipients. In comparison, approximately 20% of non-donation-after-cardiac-death organs from pediatric donors were used for pediatric recipients. The vast majority of donation-after-cardiac-death organs donated were kidneys and livers. More than 50% of medical centers that had a pediatric organ-donation-after-cardiac-death donor had just 1. The medical center with the largest pediatric organ-donation-after-cardiac-death donation experience had 14 donors. Forty-three percent of medical centers that had > or = 1 pediatric donation-after-cardiac-death donor were members of the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions. Fifty-six percent of all of the pediatric donation-after-cardiac-death organs were donated from the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institution member centers. CONCLUSIONS: Data regarding the use of pediatric donation-after-cardiac-death organs for pediatric recipients remain sparse. Few medical centers have had enough donation-after-cardiac-death donor experience to report a tried-and-true approach. We advocate for comprehensive collection and reporting of outcome data for all-aged recipients of pediatric donation-after-cardiac-death organs to help facilitate the generation of evidence-based best-practice guidelines for pediatric donation after cardiac death.