Background: The use of early mechanical circulatory support (MCS) following pediatric heart transplantation is not well-published. This paper attempts to uncover the incidence, predisposing factors, and outcomes of MCS in a large, international cohort.
Methods: The Pediatric Heart Transplant Society Database (an international, prospective, event-driven database) was retrospectively analyzed for all cases of primary heart transplant over an 11-year period (2010-2020), dividing the cohort based on need for MCS within 30 days of transplantation.
Results: Of 4,321 primary transplants, 249 (5.8%) required MCS (230 ECMO (Extracoporeal Membranous Oxygenation), 19 ventricular assist device). In a Cox proportional hazard model, congenital heart disease (p = 0.0002), older donor age (p < 0.0001), and longer ischemic time (p = 0.018) were each related to an increased need for MCS; increasing recipient body surface area (p < 0.0001) and increasing donor left ventricular ejection fraction (p = 0.016) were both correlated with less MCS use. One-year survival in those requiring MCS was 54.2%, compared with 94.8% in those who did not need MCS (p < 0.0001). Later survival in patients surviving to 1 year was similar between the groups.
Conclusions: MCS is used infrequently following pediatric heart transplant and is related to donor, recipient, and transplant factors. Although mortality is high, those surviving the first year post transplant have excellent outcomes. Judicious use in those patients who would otherwise perish is therefore justified.
Keywords: ECLS; clinical heart transplantation; graft dysfunction; mechanical circulatory support; pediatric heart transplantation.
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