The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Pediatric Circulatory Support Program

Options for the circulatory support of pediatric patients under the age of 5 years are currently limited to short-term extracorporeal devices, the use of which is often complicated by infection, bleeding, and thromboembolism. Recognizing this void, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute solicited proposals for the development of novel circulatory support systems for infants and children from 2 to 25 kg with congenital or acquired cardiovascular disease. Five contracts were awarded to develop a family of devices that includes (1) an implantable mixed-flow ventricular assist device designed specifically for patients up to 2 years of age, (2) another mixed-flow ventricular assist device that can be implanted intravascularly or extravascularly depending on patient size, (3) compact integrated pediatric cardiopulmonary assist systems, (4) apically implanted axial-flow ventricular assist devices, and (5) pulsatile-flow ventricular assist devices. The common objective for these devices is to reliably provide circulatory support for infants and children while minimizing risks related to infection, bleeding, and thromboembolism. The devices are expected to be ready for clinical studies at the conclusion of the awards in 2009.