The Right Tool for the Right Job: Bridging a Failing Fontan to Transplant

Mechanical circulatory support and heart transplantation are both becoming increasingly common among Fontan patients as this growing cohort of patients is reaching young adulthood. Although device placement may present challenges, the new focus is on selecting the correct cannulation sites and devices at the correct time to successfully bridge these challenging patients to heart transplant. Herein, we report the use of a number of mechanical circulatory support strategies tailored to the clinical setting that culminated in 130 days of support before cardiac transplantation of a young adult with a failing Fontan circulation. (C) 2018 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons