Purpose of Review
This review will discuss the evolving epidemiology of heart failure in children and young adults and the innovations/changes in mechanical circulatory support (MCS) over the last 2 decades.
Recent Findings
Maturation of pediatric MCS programs in conjunction with improvement in patient management have led to serial improvements in clinical outcomes for children requiring MCS. These improvements, in conjunction with the increasing burden of heart failure, have driven rapid evolution in the use of mechanical circulatory support for children and young adults with heart failure.
Summary
The number of children and young adults supported with MCS has increased significantly over the last 2 decades. This has been driven by increased willingness (and ability) to provide effective ventricular assist device (VAD) support in young children and patients with congenital heart disease. The increasing burden of disease, in conjunction with longer heart transplant wait times, has underscored the need for further innovation. In particular, there is a need for smaller, durable VAD options for pediatric patients who are not candidates for implantable, continuous flow VADs.