Mechanical circulatory support for the pediatric patient.

Full Abstract

In adult patients, mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices are part of the standard of care for heart failure. There are several options available that clinicians may use to provide support for their patients and thus the choice of devices can be tailored to their individual needs. Unfortunately, this is not the case for pediatric patients with heart failure, where the options for MCS modalities are far more limited because of size constraints and regulatory hurdles. Furthermore, the pathophysiology of heart failure in children is not identical to that of adults; thus, the device selection and configuration require different considerations. Management of pediatric patients on MCS requires a highly specialized team of pediatric professionals. The nurse caring for a child on MCS is an active participant in all aspects of the patient's care and must have an in-depth understanding of the patient's underlying physiology, the circulatory physiology of the MCS system, the reason for mechanical support, and the goal of support.

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Author information

Author/s: Carberry, Kathleen E (KE); Gunter, Kathyrn S (KS); Gemmato, Courtney J (CJ); Morales, David L S (DL);

Affiliation: Center for Clinical and Outcomes Research, Congenital Heart Surgery Service, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. kecarber(-atsign-)texaschildrenshospital.org

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: Critical care nursing quarterly (Crit Care Nurs Q), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2007 Apr-Jun; vol 30 (issue 2) : pp 121-42

Dates: Created 2007/03/14; Completed 2007/05/25; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 17356354, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Activities of Daily Living
Adolescent
Age Factors
Assisted Circulation - adverse effects; instrumentation; nursing; trends
Child
Child Psychology
Child, Preschool
Critical Care - methods
Equipment Design
Heart Failure - psychology; therapy
Heart Transplantation

Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Nurse's Role
Nursing Assessment
Patient Selection
Pediatric Nursing - methods
Perioperative Care - methods; nursing
Quality of Life
Risk Factors
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