A new smaller heart pump could help save the lives of children who are awaiting transplant, a new study from researchers at the Texas Children's Hospital shows.
Heart pumps have served as a useful tool to keep many adults alive prior to heart transplant surgery and now that technology may be open to children, said lead researcher Dr. Charles Fraser.
For the study, Dr. Fraser and his team examined 48 child heart patients, half of whom used the Berlin Heart while the other half used previously existing technology.
The smallest children using the new pump enjoyed a 13 percent increased recovery rate while larger children had a 25 percent increase.
"My interest [in this project] is related to my clinical frustration. Having been a children's heart surgeon of a number of years, the clinical necessity of this device was obvious. This shows children don't have to be second-class citizens any longer," Fraser said.
by RTT Staff Writer
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