Non-pulsatile axial flow ventricular assist device for right systemic ventricle failure late after Senning procedure

Cardiac transplantation is an ever more frequent requirment for patients presenting with end-stage right systemic ventricular failure late after atrial switch operations. But as the time on the donor waiting list lengthens, the clinical conditions of these patients can easily and abruptly deteriorate, sometimes requiring systemic ventricular assistance. We document the first case of right systemic ventricular assistance with a De Bakey VAD axial pump in a patient presenting with systemic ventricular failure 23 years after procedure. He rapidly recovered total autonomy and was thus able to participate in a rehabilitation program to optimize his condition for heart transplantation. (Int J Artif Organs 2009; 32: 243-5)