Long-term survival of the patients with a functional single-ventricle physiology has dramatically improved with the establishment of staged surgical palliation and subsequent Fontan operation. As the number of the patients who live with a Fontan circulation has been increasing exponentially, management of the failing Fontan circulation becomes one of the most critical issues in pediatric and adult congenital heart disease care. Dr Trusty and colleagues1 reported an in vitro analysis of the mechanical circulatory support (MCS) system for failing Fontan circulation using a PediMag (Thoratec Corp, Pleasanton, Calif) or CentriMag (Thoratec Corp) centrifugal pump.
Long-term survival of the patients with a functional single-ventricle physiology has dramatically improved with the establishment of staged surgical palliation and subsequent Fontan operation. As the number of the patients who live with a Fontan circulation has been increasing exponentially, management of the failing Fontan circulation becomes one of the most critical issues in pediatric and adult congenital heart disease care. Dr Trusty and colleagues1 reported an in vitro analysis of the mechanical circulatory support (MCS) system for failing Fontan circulation using a PediMag (Thoratec Corp, Pleasanton, Calif) or CentriMag (Thoratec Corp) centrifugal pump.