Cardiac Device for Kids | Medical News and Health Information
Cardiac Device for Kids -- Research Summary
BACKGROUND: Cardiomyopathy refers to diseases of the heart muscle. These diseases have many causes, signs and symptoms, and treatments. In cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle becomes enlarged, thick, or rigid. In rare cases, the muscle tissue in the heart is replaced with scar tissue. As cardiomyopathy worsens, the heart becomes weaker. It's less able to pump blood through the body and maintain a normal electrical rhythm. This can lead to heart failure or irregular heartbeats called arrhythmias. In turn, heart failure can cause fluid to build up in the lungs, ankles, feet, legs, or abdomen. The weakening of the heart also can cause other complications, such as heart valve problems. (Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
TAKING OVER OUR CHILDREN: Cardiomyopathy is nondiscriminatory in that it can affect any adult or child at any stage of their life. It is a particularly rare disease when diagnosed in infants and young children. Cardiomyopathy continues to be the leading reason for heart transplants in children. Currently there are no published reports specifying the total number of children affected, but it is roughly estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands when all forms of cardiomyopathy are taken into account. According to the national pediatric cardiomyopathy registry, 1 in every 100,000 children in the U.S. under the age of 18 is diagnosed with primary cardiomyopathy. (Source: Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation)
TREATMENT: Unfortunately, there is no current cure or treatment that can return the heart to normal or guarantee long term survival. Although occasionally children with certain types of cardiomyopathy do improve, the vast majority do not show any recovery in heart function. If detected in the earlier stages, cardiomyopathy may be controlled with long-term drug therapy and placement of a pacemaker/ defibrillator. If the cardiomyopathy is associated with electrical disturbances, heart pacemakers may be implanted to provide stable, coordinated electrical impulses to the heart muscle. If there is a potential for sudden cardiac death, an implanted defibrillator may be considered. The device can recognize ventricular fibrillation, a rhythm that does not allow the heart to contract, and deliver an electrical shock to return the heart to a coordinated stable rhythm. If indicated, there are some implanted devices that are both pacemakers and defibrillators. Severe cardiomyopathies may not be able to be controlled or treated with mediation, diet, or other surgical interventions. In this situation, heart transplantation may be a consideration as a final option. (Source: http://www.emedicinehealth.com)
NEW TECHNOLOGY: When a donor heart is not available during the end stage of heart failure, the implantation of a ventricular assist device is the only therapeutic alternative. Many such devices are designed to provide circulatory support to adults, but very few are available for children and infants, especially in the United States. In children, implantation of ventricular assist devices that are designed for adults carries a high risk of complications, because the low stroke volumes that must be used can result in inadequate pump washout and excessive thromboembolic risk. The Berlin Heart excor® Pediatric VAD is a pulsatile assist device that comprises a compressor and pumps (artificial ventricles); it is connected to the heart with cannulas. The device's pumps are designed to provide different stroke volumes: 10 mL (suitable for newborns), 25 and 30 mL (suitable for infants and children with body surface areas <1 .2=".2" 50="50" 60="60" a="a" adults="adults" and="and" children="children" designed="designed" enable="enable" for="for" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov" in="in" larger="larger" m2="m2" ml="ml" of="of" ource:="ource:" proper="proper" pumps.="pumps." pumps="pumps" sizes="sizes" stroke="stroke" suitable="suitable" the="the" these="these" various="various" volumes="volumes" washout="washout" will="will">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
) MORETREATMENT: Unfortunately, there is no current cure or treatment that can return the heart to normal or guarantee long term survival. Although occasionally children with certain types of cardiomyopathy do improve, the vast majority do not show any recovery in heart function. If detected in the earlier stages, cardiomyopathy may be controlled with long-term drug therapy and placement of a pacemaker/ defibrillator. If the cardiomyopathy is associated with electrical disturbances, heart pacemakers may be implanted to provide stable, coordinated electrical impulses to the heart muscle. If there is a potential for sudden cardiac death, an implanted defibrillator may be considered. The device can recognize ventricular fibrillation, a rhythm that does not allow the heart to contract, and deliver an electrical shock to return the heart to a coordinated stable rhythm. If indicated, there are some implanted devices that are both pacemakers and defibrillators. Severe cardiomyopathies may not be able to be controlled or treated with mediation, diet, or other surgical interventions. In this situation, heart transplantation may be a consideration as a final option. (Source: http://www.emedicinehealth.com)
NEW TECHNOLOGY: When a donor heart is not available during the end stage of heart failure, the implantation of a ventricular assist device is the only therapeutic alternative. Many such devices are designed to provide circulatory support to adults, but very few are available for children and infants, especially in the United States. In children, implantation of ventricular assist devices that are designed for adults carries a high risk of complications, because the low stroke volumes that must be used can result in inadequate pump washout and excessive thromboembolic risk. The Berlin Heart excor® Pediatric VAD is a pulsatile assist device that comprises a compressor and pumps (artificial ventricles); it is connected to the heart with cannulas. The device's pumps are designed to provide different stroke volumes: 10 mL (suitable for newborns), 25 and 30 mL (suitable for infants and children with body surface areas <1 .2=".2" 50="50" 60="60" a="a" adults="adults" and="and" children="children" designed="designed" enable="enable" for="for" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov" in="in" larger="larger" m2="m2" ml="ml" of="of" ource:="ource:" proper="proper" pumps.="pumps." pumps="pumps" sizes="sizes" stroke="stroke" suitable="suitable" the="the" these="these" various="various" volumes="volumes" washout="washout" will="will">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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