What is a Berlin Heart?
The Berlin Heart® EXCOR Pediatric Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) is a blood pump that vibrates rhythmically to assist children who cannot pump enough blood with their own natural heart. The device improves circulation and keeps them alive until they receive a heart transplant. The device, which comes in several sizes, is not totally implanted inside the body. Physicians insert cannulas, or flexible tubes, in the heart and they extend through the skin and connect to a small pump located outside the body. That pump, along with its computerized drive unit, maintains blood flow.
The above statistic states that it is has been used in 1,000 children. Unfortunately, it has only been used in 12 children that have single ventricles. DuPont has never put one in a single ventricle baby, Hannah will be their first. Out of those 12, 7 of them made it to transplant. We are scheduled to have that surgery tomorrow at 12. There are a lot of risks associated with moving forward with this plan and even more because Hannah has a single ventricle but it is the only choice that we have. I have fallen in love with her surgeon and her team and feel even more when I'm with them that we are where we are supposed to be.
The above statistic states that it is has been used in 1,000 children. Unfortunately, it has only been used in 12 children that have single ventricles. DuPont has never put one in a single ventricle baby, Hannah will be their first. Out of those 12, 7 of them made it to transplant. We are scheduled to have that surgery tomorrow at 12. There are a lot of risks associated with moving forward with this plan and even more because Hannah has a single ventricle but it is the only choice that we have. I have fallen in love with her surgeon and her team and feel even more when I'm with them that we are where we are supposed to be.