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Case Reports

Berlin Heart as a Bridge to Recovery for a Failing Fontan

^a Division of Cardiac Surgery, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
^b Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
^c Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Accepted for publication July 25, 2008.

^_* Address correspondence to Dr Cardarelli, University of Maryland Medical Center, 22 S Greene St, Suite N4W94, Baltimore, MD 21201 (Email: mcard001{at}umaryland.edu).

We report the temporary use of a Berlin Heart ventricular assist device (Berlin Heart AG, Berlin, Germany) for cardiac support of an 18-month-old girl with rapidly progressive ventricular failure after completion of a fenestrated Fontan. After 6 months of cardiac assistance with a single pneumatic pump, catheterization data showed improvement of the ventricular function and the ventricular assist device was successfully removed. A follow-up echocardiogram 6 months after hospital discharge demonstrated marked improvement of ventricular function.