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Researchers Explore Heart Pumps for Children
The National Institutes of Health have provided a grant to the University of Maryland to
support the development of a heart pump for children. Doctors hope to have a child-sized
pump ready for use within two years. Children can develop heart failure from congenital heart
defects or illnesses. Unfortunately, current heart pumps are much too large to implant in a
child's tiny heart. However, researchers are trying to develop designs useful in children.
Investigators are looking for ways to miniaturize the Jarvik 2000 heart pump model to make a
device that would be appropriate for children.
There are some stumbling blocks to overcome when developing a heart pump for a child. Researchers
can't simply make the parts smaller because children have different flow and pressure requirements
from adults. Dial controls for flow rates are important for children, but must have some type of
access protection to prevent a child from inappropriately changing the flow rate of the device.
Another obstacle is the growth of the child. As the child grows, a small pump may not be adequate
for his/her needs. However, researchers are hopeful, that as medical advances are made, doctors will
eventually have other options for these children.
A number of U.S. companies are developing various kinds of mechanical heart pumps, including at least
five teams working on pumps for kids. Over the years, Burgreen has consulted for several of them,
including California-based Thoratec Inc. and its subsidiary, Nimbus Inc.; Vascor Inc. of Pittsburgh;
MedQuest Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah; and Cardianove Inc. of Montreal, Canada. All are major players
in the design and development of rotary blood pumps.
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