At the age of 12 she was supported by an EXCOR^® Pediatric. “This mechanical heart has played a major role in my life and I have many memories of that time. I am very grateful that this technology exists and that the therapy was so successful".

Already as a child, Chantal was very athletic, and played a lot of tennis and hockey. But at the age of 11, she suddenly was becoming no air just climbing the stairs. The cardiologist sent her straight to the hospital in Bremen. Her left ventricle was found to be inflamed and she was put into an artificial coma. The situation was very dramatic, and the doctors did not believe that she would survive the next night, and told this also her parents. Chantal survived, but she did not feel well. "I often suffered a lot of pain so that I had to spend days in bed motionless and almost completely devoid of energy" she recalls. After six months of treatment in Bremen, she became progressively worse and was transferred to the German Heart Center in Berlin (DHZB). “On the very first evening I suffered ventricular fibrillation after which a mechanical heart was implanted in an emergency surgery" says Chantal.

"Apart from the regular visits of a technician, who checked the mechanical heart, at first all I noticed was the clicking sound of the device. After transfer to the normal ward, I began to get more mobile. After three and a half months of waiting, I finally received a heart transplant. As I slowly regained my consciousness, it was strange for me to live without my mechanical heart. I almost felt empty without my device and that steady clicking. At night, no alarm woke me because I accidentally bent the hose while sleeping. I really had to get used to it.”

After her release, Chantal was educated at home for half a year because of her increased risk of infection, before she could then return to her normal school. Today she is an athletic young woman who, time permitting, enthusiastically plays golf and tennis or goes skiing. In addition, she also likes to play golf and not only skies enthusiastically in winter, but also works as a ski instructor. “I've been taking part in transplant patient competitions for six years" says the 26 years old. “My greatest achievements were the World Championship title in Golf 2013 in South Africa and 2015 in Argentina, as well as the gold medal in Parallel Slalom at the Winter World Championship 2015 in France.” Most recently, she participated in the World Transplant Games in Perth, Australia and is already looking forward to the World Championships in Dresden 2025.

Her involvement in organ donation support has also been important, for which she has already appeared in the TV shows "Markus Lanz" (ZDF), "3 to 9" (NDR) and "Good morning Germany" (RTL). “I want to show people that this can happen to anyone and that your life might suddenly depend on a donor organ, just as happened with me. An organ donor can save up to seven lives! I want to use my fate to help save the lives of as many people as possible through donor organ support."

On our Youtube channel, you will find an exclusive video interview in which Chantal talks about her remarkable experience after heart transplantation with the help of the EXCOR® Pediatric: www.youtube.com/channel/UCWjvfgzjFW_w4sz5505jRNA

For the past 199 days, Greta had survived with the support of Berlin Heart’s EXCOR^® Pediatric Ventricular Assist Device while she waited for a heart transplant. 

Just one month earlier, her big brother had asked Santa for a heart for his sister. Those sirens meant he was finally getting his wish.

According to her mother, Greta was so excited to say hello to the world that she was born a little more than 12 weeks early. 
During her first days in the hospital, she was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a condition that affects the heart. In September of 2019, she was stable enough to go home with her family for the first time. 

For 9 months, Greta watched the world through her big, bright eyes as she grew and absorbed the world around her. She was a happy baby who brought joy to every person she touched, especially her big brother, Liam. 

But by June 2020, her mother noticed that she wasn’t her usual cheerful self. She returned to the hospital by ambulance in heart failure.

After a week of unsuccessful medical treatment, it became clear that a heart transplant was Greta’s best chance for survival. With no immediate availability of a donor heart, her medical team quickly made the decision to implant the Berlin Heart to support her while waiting on the transplant list.

“It gave her a great quality of life while she waited,” said her mother, Jaime. “Greta loves to be social and explore. She’s very into details. She loves books and going on walks.”
With the Berlin Heart, Greta was able to enjoy her favorite things again. She did so well, her mother said, that they were often asked questions by other families with children with heart problems.

“This experience has been the hardest of our lives,” her mother said. “But it made me so happy to see her so well taken care of. I’ve learned so much! My advice to other parents in this difficult situation is to ask a lot of questions. If you don’t understand, ask again.”

Greta is recovering well after her transplant and now, after 225 days in the hospital, she is back home with a new heart.
 

Camilo was born in Buenos Aires on November 25, 2015. Even before his birth, in the 5^th month of pregnancy, he was diagnosed with heart failure. 

Due to dilated cardiomyopathy, a pathological enlargement of his heart muscle, Camilo's physical performance was limited. Camilo could not run, jump and romp like other children his age. He preferred to play with his building blocks, toy cars and trains. 

Despite his severe diagnosis, Camilo could be treated with medication on an ambulatory basis for almost 5 years. However, in April 2020, Camilo's health worsened, he was always tired and increasingly weak. Camilo had to go to the hospital and the doctors there did not have good news. Camilo's small heart was too weak and he urgently needed a donor heart. 

In fact, he soon got better and Camilo was even allowed to go home with his parents. But then his condition suddenly became acute, Camilo could no longer breathe. In the emergency room of the hospital, Camilo suffered a cardiac arrest. Doctors were able to resuscitate Camilo and he was placed on ECMO for stabilization.

Camilo's family does not leave his side in the hospital. Mom Leslie gives hope and strength to her little Camilo: "Camilo stayed on ECMO for 20 days until we received the wonderful news that a ventricular assist device would be placed. The Berlin Heart would allow Camilo to wait for a donor heart, which he so desperately needs."

The implantation of the EXCOR^® Pediatric was without complications and quite fast. When Camilo woke up, his parents explained the unfamiliar system to him. They told him that the EXCOR^® is a machine that keeps him alive. And it will do so until he gets a donor heart.

Camilo understood this and got used to the device very quickly. He accepted it as a given and was careful not to twist the cannulae when he sat down. At night, when he went to sleep, the first thing he did was put the pumps in a position that was comfortable for him.  

The nurses always had fun with Camilo, and when it was time for dressing changes or daily pump checks, they played his favorite music. 

Camilo's parents made him understand that he won't need the EXCOR^® forever. But it will help him recover while they wait for the heart. 

Exactly 5 days before Camilo's 5^th birthday, Camilo received a donor heart. 

The transplantation lasted about 6 hours and went without complications. Shortly after Camilo woke up from the anesthesia, he was already calling for his mom.

For Camilo's family, it has been an emotional journey with ups and downs until this point. Mama Leslie would like to share Camilo's story to encourage other parents:
"We must not lose hope, we must fight side by side with our children. We have to support our children. Then they will have a chance to get through these bad times in their lives. We have to be by their side and stay positive to make their wait for a donor heart easier. We are incredibly grateful that Berlin Heart exists. Camilo would not have survived the wait for a heart transplant otherwise. Through all these experiences, I have realized that I am stronger than I ever expected."

Dear Leslie, we are working on the continuous development of our systems and want to give many children with heart disease the chance of a happy future. Thank you very much for your great trust. We wish Camilo all the best, you are an incredibly strong family!

The access to some or all shown products may be restricted by country-specific regulatory approvals. The use of EXCOR^® VAD for adults, RVAD-support, EXCOR^® venous cannulas with grafts, Excor mobile and EXCOR^® Active is not FDA-approved and not available for commer¬cial use in the US.
 

Scarlett is a healthy girl. She attends kindergarten twice a week, she goes to pre-school gymnastics classes and she spends hours playing with her siblings. Scarlett is full of energy and joy of life. 

Suddenly Scarlett got sick and I thought of a viral infection, maybe a normal cold. However, as the day went on, it turned out that it must be something more than just a small influenza virus. But I couldn't imagine what was yet to come. 

Scarlett was taken to our local hospital in Hull. The doctors examined Scarlett's heart, which was beating in her chest at over 180 beats per minute. Scarlett was monitored all night and then had to be transferred to the nearest hospital with a pediatric cardiac unit for further examination the next day. 

On arrival at the children's ward, Scarlett suffered a cardiac arrest. Emergency open heart surgery was performed and Scarlett was connected to the heart-lung machine (ECMO). During this time we learned that Scarlett's heart was greatly enlarged and that there were two possible causes: dilated cardiomyopathy or myocarditis. 

After a few days, the doctors concluded that Scarlett needed longer-term care, so she was transferred to the Newcastle Freeman Hospital. Scarlett spent almost two weeks on ECMO before the doctors decided to give her own heart a chance. 

Unfortunately Scarlett's condition worsened and her heart failed again. The doctors in Newcastle told me that Scarlett's only chance was to get a Berlin Heart implant. The Berlin Heart was intended to help Scarlett bridge the waiting time for a donor heart. I was absolutely devastated. I had only heard about Berlin Heart a few days earlier and all I could think about were the risks and the reduced quality of life with a ventricular assist device.  

Scarlett received the Berlin Heart and the doctors performed a biopsy. This confirmed that Scarlett has myocarditis. 

A week after the Berlin Heart implantation, Scarlett sat in bed talking, playing with her toys and even drawing a picture. At this moment I realized how much the Berlin Heart had helped us. I had my daughter back after weeks of suffering!

Scarlett's state of health stabilized with the Berlin Heart and she was finally allowed to leave the children's intensive care unit. The new ward offered much better opportunities for children and Scarlett was able to do so many things that children of her age should be able to do.

I thought Scarlett was tied to a bed until she got a new heart, but that wasn't the case at all. She could visit the playroom, sit at a table, do puzzles and play. 

After a few weeks with the Berlin Heart, we received a message that we hadn't even dreamed of: Scarlett's heart had recovered thanks to the support of the Berlin Heart! It had healed itself and was able to take over its function on its own again! Scarlett was allowed to come back home to us with her own heart!

I cannot express how grateful I am for this remarkable device.
Without the Berlin Heart Scarlett would not be here today, it gave her a second chance!
 

However, at the age of 1.5 years her condition worsens and the dilated cardiomyopathy becomes acute. As a result, Ichika's heart is no longer able to supply the body with oxygen-rich blood.

Initially, Ichika receives medication at the University Hospital in Hokkaido, but her blood pressure drops. Ichika has to be connected to an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). ECMO is a quasi-modified and miniaturized heart-lung machine, which was necessary for her to support heart and lung function.

At this time, the medical team in Hokkaido is already planning her transport to the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center in Osaka, 1600 kilometers away. But in Hokkaido there is a huge snowstorm and the airport will be closed. The journey becomes an odyssey.

Finally, the Japanese Coast Guard brings Ichika to Osaka by propeller plane.

At night at 2:00 am the team reaches the airport in Osaka together with Ichika. The doctors in Osaka react with great determination and carry out a computer tomography immediately after landing. Ichika suffered a stroke during the transport.

A few days later Ichika is implanted with the EXCOR^® Pediatric as a left-ventricular assist device (LVAD). The EXCOR^® gives Ichika the chance to bridge the waiting time for a donor heart.

The parents and the medical team breathe a sigh of relief, Ichika's state of health stabilizes. She also recovers well from her stroke and fortunately remains free of any consequential damage.

Ichika's parents are relieved: "I feel nothing but gratitude for the life-saving support of our daughter through EXCOR^® Pediatric. Ichika's condition is improving daily, she jumps on her bed, she learns to speak and is developing very well",
says Ichika's mother.

Ichika is just as lively and curious again as she was before her stay in hospital.

We wish Ichika and her family all the best for the future, lots of strength on her way and of course, that a suitable donor heart for Ichika will be found quickly.

One of these heart defects is narrowing of the aorta, known as coarctation. Sheima was operated for the first time when she was just three weeks old.

In addition, Sheima suffered from Ebstein anomaly, a very rare malformation of the tricuspid valve, the heart valve of the right ventricle. Furthermore she had a congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries. The left atrium was connected to the right ventricle, that pumps blood to her body and the right atrium was connected to the left ventricle, that pumps blood to the lungs. This very rare malformation combination leads, over the years, to a weakening of the right heart ventricle and the oxygen-rich blood cannot be pumped properly into the body.

Fortunately Sheima was able to lead a relatively normal life until the age of 14. She went to school and met friends. Sheima has a many friends and she loves painting.

In the spring of 2019, Sheima's condition deteriorated further and a cardiac pacemaker was implanted to treat cardiac dysrhythmias. The surgery that was supposed to counteract a further worsening of her heart failure, did not yield the desired outcome.

The situation became acute when her heart stopped beating due to severe cardiac insufficiency. Sheima had to be resuscitated and was treated in the intensive care unit to achieve a more stable condition.

Sheima was connected to a so-called ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation). A modified and miniaturized heart lung machine that was necessary to support her heart and lung function. At this point, Sheima, who was 14 years old at the time, only weighed 29 kilograms: a threatening condition. In addition, help via the ECMO was not a long-term solution and a donor heart was not available.

„All procedures, surgeries and medical treatments did not improve her condition and she developed progressive heart failure. Due to her complex anatomy, Berlin Heart was the only optional mechanical support for her.“ so Dr. Tal Tirosh, Sheba Medical Center.

In November 2019, after careful planning, Sheima received the EXCOR^® Pediatric ventricular assist device, which took over the function of her right systemic heart ventricle. Sheima's health improved under the EXCOR^® therapy. Physiotherapy helped her to improve her strength.

Sheima bridged seven months with EXCOR^® until the long-awaited news finally arrived in June 2020: A donor heart had been found.

The transplantation was a great challenge for the medical team due to the complicated anatomical malformations. But then came a wave of relief when the new heart began to beat!

"Sheima woke up the day after the surgery and was able to be quickly weaned from the ventilator. The new heart is working very well. Now her real journey back to life begins." (Dr. Amir Vardi, Sheba Medical Center)

From Berlin Heart we also wish Sheima and her parents all the best!
Sheima, we are deeply impressed by you, your story and your unbroken will to live.

The access to some or all shown products may be restricted by country-specific regulatory approvals. The use of EXCOR® VAD for adults, RVAD-support, Excor mobil and EXCOR® Active is not FDA-approved.

Even so, they were concerned and took Ben to see their pediatrician. The pediatrician examined Ben thoroughly. He was breathing too fast and not deeply enough; the pediatrician was also concerned about abnormal heart murmurs. So, she immediately referred Ben to the pediatric cardiology department at the DONAUISAR hospital in Deggendorf (Germany).

With the help of an ultrasound, the doctors there determined that Ben had a serious heart condition and, in the worst case, would need a heart transplantation. The diagnosis came as a shock to Ben's parents, who just the day before believed they were a completely normal and, above all, healthy family. And things got worse: the doctors failed to stabilize Ben's heart function with the help of medications. Just two days later, Ben was so sick that he was flown by helicopter to the Munich University Hospital, Großhadern Campus, more than 160 km away.

Here, Ben's parents found out that Ben's left atrium was much too big. The diagnosis was restrictive cardiomyopathy, a cardiac muscle disease in which the cardiac muscle hardens and is no longer able to properly expand and allow blood to flow in. In this rare condition, blood flow from the heart is reduced and the blood builds up in front of the ventricle. At this point it became certain that a donor heart was the only chance for their son to go on living.

While Ben was still in the intensive care unit, for the first time his parents saw a child who was being supported by the EXCOR^® ventricular assist device on ward G9 of the Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine. However, they initially suppressed the idea that their son could also be dependent on it.
At the beginning of November his condition had stabilized to such an extent that he could be listed for an organ donation at Eurotransplant. Still dependent on medication, he was even discharged a few days later in order to be able to spend the waiting period at home.

But in mid-January Ben struggled with an inflammation of the gallbladder and had to be admitted to the Munich University Hospital again. His heart was not able to cope with this strain, so the doctors decided to operate to reconstruct the mitral valve at the beginning of February 2020. Ben's parents were informed in advance that if complications arose during the operation, implantation of the EXCOR^® Pediatric ventricular assist device would be Ben's last chance.

In fact, Ben left the operating room with an EXCOR^® pump to support his left ventricle. What initially came as a shock to Ben's parents turned out to be a relief after a few days. "Our son would not have survived without the Berlin Heart device. What's more, he made a great recovery on the system and fought his way back. Despite the prospect of now having to spend the long wait for a donor heart in the hospital, his regained smile was a blessing for us," said Ben's father.

Nevertheless, the situation was a great burden for Ben's parents. During the week, Ben's mother was there for him around the clock and spent the nights in the Ronald McDonald house near the hospital. At home, his father took care of Ben's big brother, Tim, in addition to working and was more than grateful for the support of the entire family. He spent the weekends at the hospital while Tim was looked after by his grandparents.

In addition, the measures that were being taken as part of the COVID-19 pandemic were troubling them. Ben was moved to a smaller room at the end of the ward and thus isolated even more. His brother and the rest of the family were no longer allowed to visit him either. His freedom of movement was more restricted than before.

So everyone was happier when Ben's ventricular assist device received the new mobile driving unit EXCOR^® Active in May 2020. “The change to the new driving unit was a huge relief for us. We were finally able to leave the ward room for a while. During our first long walks around the hospital grounds, Ben looked around wide-eyed. He was enormously happy to see his big brother again on these occasions,” reports Ben's father.

"In addition, the new driving unit made the situation in the ward room more bearable due to the lower volume and heat radiation," added Ben's father.

While Ben and his family were making good use of their new-found freedom, Ben's father received the redeeming call on the evening of June 3, 2020 - a donor heart had become available. That night, Ben was being prepared for the operation and after it had been determined that the donor organ was suitable, he would be given the transplantation on the morning of June 4, 2020.

When his parents saw Ben in the intensive care unit after the operation, they were overwhelmed. The pump and cannulae were gone and a new heart was beating independently in Ben's chest. Just eight days later, he was transferred from the intensive care unit to the normal ward. He returned home just 23 days after the heart transplantation.

"Ben's case confirms our experience in therapy with the EXCOR^® Pediatric. By relieving the strain on their own heart, the system enables children with severe heart conditions to recover and creates the best conditions for a transplantation and a rapid discharge home after surgery" explains Prof. Dr. med. Robert Dalla-Pozza, Senior Consultant in the Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine, Munich University Hospital, Großhadern Campus.

"Ben will now have to rely on medication for the rest of his life to prevent his body from rejecting the donor heart. But he's alive and has been given a second chance. We are so grateful for this gift, for the great care of the doctors and nurses in the entire Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine at the Munich University Hospital and for the "Berlin Heart" device, which enabled Ben to recover and survive the waiting period until transplantation. However, we would especially like to thank the parents of the organ donor who, in their most difficult hours, allowed their child's heart to be donated” says Ben's father.

The access to some or all shown products may be restricted by country-specific regulatory approvals. The use of EXCOR^® VAD for adults, RVAD-support, Excor mobil and EXCOR^® Active is not FDA-approved.

Daniel’s journey begins in September 2018, when his pediatrician diagnoses him with bronchitis; he is expected to recover within 17 days, but after three weeks his condition has worsened rather than improved.

Daniel is admitted to Ward G9 of the Pediatric Cardiology and Pediatric Intensive Care at the University Hospital of Munich, where his parents receive the shocking diagnosis: without a donor heart, their son will not survive.  

Until February 2019, doctors at the University Hospital of Munich attempt to stabilize Daniel’s condition using medications. However, in the night of February 10-11, 2019, Daniel undergoes emergency surgery to implant an EXCOR® Pediatric Pump in order to support his left ventricle.  

After the operation, Daniel’s condition begins gradually improving. He recovers his appetite, puts on weight, and wants to be actively part of the world around him again. For Daniel’s mother, Diana, who is always by his side, it’s a glimmer of hope after many anxious moments.  

“For me, the Berlin Heart is both a blessing and a curse”, she says. “A curse because it keeps us ‘trapped’ at the hospital. A blessing because Daniel is alive. The machine has saved his life. Thanks to it, he has recovered well and regained his strength.”  

Day after day, she tries to make the best out of her time at the hospital and looks for new ways to keep Daniel occupied. Fortunately, Daniel makes things easy for her: He’s a quiet, easy child, and despite how much he’s suffered, he’s a real sunshine. If you forget the ventricular assist device for a moment, you might think you are looking at a perfectly healthy little boy.  

And like any other child, he loves discovering the world as he plays, laughs, and learns to walk. Since March 2020, the new EXCOR® Active driving unit has given him more independence and mobility.  

The driving unit is easier to operate and has a longer battery life, which means Daniel and his family can go outside for a walk on the hospital grounds. Thanks to EXCOR® Active, his world has become a few significant steps larger.

In total, Daniel waited 943 days in the Munich hospital for a donor heart. Almost three years of hoping, fearing, and waiting until the long-awaited news. One night in June 2021, Daniel receives a donor heart. Today, Daniel and his family enjoy life to the fullest and are more than grateful for the wonderful gift they have received.

Daniel’s mother works actively to promote organ donation, and blogs on Facebook and Instagram about her and Daniel’s lives.

Find out more under:

# herzbubedaniel
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The expectant parents were referred to the Heart and Diabetes Center NRW in Bad Oeynhausen to undergo further treatment and intensive care. Elias was born there on December 15^th 2006. His birth was supervised by many physicians, and proceeded completely normally. For a short while, Elias lay in his mother's arms, but sadly a bluish color in his lips quickly became apparent.

The examinations then revealed the sad certainty that Elias was suffering from a hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), with his left ventricle being underdeveloped and not being able to supply the systemic circulation with sufficient blood.

Just four days after his birth he had to undergo his first major surgery. While undergoing the Norwood operation, the trunk of his pulmonary artery was severed and the excessively narrow aorta was widened with a patch. The aorta was then sutured into the trunk of the pulmonary artery so that both vessels were then connected. In addition, the lungs were supplied with blood via an artificially created connection, also known as a shunt, from the aorta via the pulmonary artery. In this way, the right ventricle could now serve both the lung and the systemic circulation with blood.

Six months later a second operation (Glenn operation) was carried out and in the summer of 2010 a third (Fontan) operation followed. Everything proceeded well and the family finally began to raise their hopes. Elias attended the kindergarten like any other child and was otherwise a bright and active little boy as well as a passionate fan of FC Bayern Munich. Only his surgical scars and daily medication reminded him of his serious illness at this time.  

But in early 2013, his health deteriorated dramatically. After a flu infection, his already weakened heart lacked the strength to provide his body with enough blood and oxygen. Elias was then re-examined at the Heart and Diabetes Center NRW in Bad Oeynhausen. The diagnosis. Heart failure. His only escape was to receive a donor heart. In the hospital, the doctors tried to stabilize his condition with medication. But after a short time, this therapy was no longer enough. The only way to bridge time while waiting for a donor heart and save his life was to implant a ventricular assist device.

In April 2013, an EXCOR^® Pediatric was implanted during an 8-hour operation. His weakened heart meant that this was not in any way a routine operation.  Despite this, everything went well.  After surgery, Elias slowly recovered and was relocated from intensive care to a normal ward only a few weeks later. But he was always accompanied by his IKUS driving unit. At that time, according to his mother, he had already arranged for the Berlin Heart to be his.

But for Elias and his family it still remained a case of fearing, waiting and hoping. A truly monstrous burden for everyone involved. Elias could not leave the hospital. His father took indefinite leave from work so that he could always be with Elias. His mother took part-time work and looked after Elias' little brother at home. The family received support from all sides. Even from Ronald McDonald nearby to the hospital. They were even given use of a complimentary apartment. This allowed his father to always be by his side.  

"Don't take the hearts to heaven, they are needed here on earth" were the words that often went through his mother's head at the time. The organ donation situation in Germany was alarming, with children in particular often having to wait months for a suitable organ.

But despite this, Elias and his family remained brave and after more than 3 months they were rewarded with the happy message that a heart had been found.

The transplant was successful and after only a few weeks he was finally allowed to return home with his family.

A year later he was re-enrolled into school and returned to playing soccer again. Like every other boy of his age, he kept his parents busy.

But at the start of 2016, the next shock was in the pipeline. Elias was diagnosed with cancer as a result of the transplantation and the permanent immunosuppression. This immunosuppression was designed to suppress his own immune system to avoid a rejection reaction to his donor organ. However, this can also lead to degenerate cells not being recognized, and as such, an increasing risk of cancer.

Once again he had to go to hospital to undergo a chemotherapy. Once again, Elias bravely fought it, and won. He happily celebrated his 10^th birthday in December at home in the company of his family.

Today, Elias is a bright teenager with a true fighter's heart. He and his family have overcome all the hurdles and setbacks with a great deal of courage, bravery and a never-fading smile. We would like to pay the utmost respect to them and wish them all the best for the future.

Juniper was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease in which the heart becomes severely enlarged. Thus, the heart does not adequately contract and therefore cannot pump enough blood to her body. In Juniper’s case the left ventricle performs only one sixth as efficiently as compared to a normal child’s heart. As her heart could not support her sufficiently, Juniper needed a new heart. Juniper was listed for a heart transplant when she was only three weeks old.

Juniper was initially able to be treated with medication and was able to go home with her family but after only about two weeks, her condition deteriorated fast. The physicians at the Children’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado decided to implant Juniper the EXCOR^® Pediatric ventricular assist device (VAD) made by Berlin Heart especially for children. The surgery took place on April 10th 2014, when Juniper was just seven weeks old. So far she is the youngest baby at Children’s Hospital Colorado to receive a Berlin Heart.

Juniper’s mother, Joni, remembers being concerned when she first heard about the Berlin Heart device as she was unsure of whether Juniper could act like a normal baby while supported by the system. Her parents soon realized that she can. Despite a complicated early course, Juniper was thriving and developing like every other child of her age while waiting for her new heart.

Regarding future patients to be supported by the EXCOR^® Pediatric VAD, Juniper’s mother says: “We would love it if you shared our story so that other parents may see just how your device can not only help children reach transplant, but to have a quality of life in the meantime. We are just so grateful for your product.”

After six months of waiting, a suitable donor heart was found for Juniper and transplanted on September 17th 2014. After another eight days she was released from the clinic so that her parents could finally take her home.

A moving film from Juniper's parents to the parents of their organ donor can be found here.

Little Elena lived with the ventricular assist device EXCOR^® Pediatric for almost two and a half months. During this time, something happened which seemed so unlikely at first: her heart recovered so well that the doctors at the DHZB (German Heart Institute Berlin) were able to explant the system.

Background:

When Elena was five months old, she suddenly began to suffer from severe breathlessness. The infant had to be resuscitated while still in the helicopter on the way to Dresden University Hospital. It quickly became clear that Elena's heart was very poorly. At the German Heart Institute Berlin, Elena's parents finally received the diagnosis: dilated cardiomyopathy. Elena's left cardiac muscle had expanded so much that it could no longer pump enough blood through her body.

The little girl's condition was critical – her cardiologist estimated that there was a 95 percent chance that she would need a heart transplantation. In order for Elena to survive until a potential transplantation, the doctors implanted the EXCOR^® Pediatric.

Elena's father, David, was working for the company National Instruments at the time – a long-term partner of Berlin Heart. It supplies hardware and software for the EXCOR® drive manufacturing plants. Therefore, National Instruments contributes to the functioning of the only pediatric ventricular assist device in the world – a system which even saved the life of David's own daughter. "Since I found out what our work at National Instruments achieves, I regard it much more highly than I did before," says Elena's father, "You can count on EXCOR^® – it is a reliable, well-tested system."

Since Elena's recovery, everything has changed: the family is back at home and Elena now goes to nursery. Her father, David, is grateful for this development: "When your child's condition deteriorates so quickly and there is so little hope, it is like having a brick wall in front of you. Elena's illness was a bolt from the blue and had no clear cause. The EXCOR^® System was our last hope. We are so blessed that Elena's heart recovered."

On the x-rays, Lorena's heart is significantly enlarged and she is sent to the intensive care unit of Maceió medical center. But even after one month, the doctors cannot help Lorena and recommend a transfer to the Heart Institute of the University of São Paulo (Instituto do Coração da Universidade de São Paulo), one of the reference centers for heart treatment in Brazil.

Lorena's condition remains critical when the family sets out on the 2.500 km journey to São Paulo in early November 2017. Once there, Lorena runs through comprehensive examination. The diagnosis: dilated cardiomyopathy. The total capacity of her heart remains only at 11 percent (ejection fraction: 11 %) and the performance of her right as well as her left ventricles is severely limited. A heart transplantation seems to be unavoidable.

In order to stabilize Lorena until transplantation, the doctors try to support the native function of her heart with medication first. Unfortunately without success, Lorena suffers a heart attack and must be revived.

Her only chance: the implantation of the EXCOR^® Pediatric ventricular assist device. Five patients - three children and two adults - have already been treated with the EXCOR^® system from Berlin Heart at the Instituto do Coração.

Nevertheless, Lorena is the first pediatric patient in Brazil to have a biventricular support due to the severe dysfunction of both heart ventricles. That means one EXCOR^® pump supports each ventricle. Furthermore, her low weight of only 5.5 kg at the time of implantation, worries the doctors.

But everything goes well. Shortly after the operation, Lorena's condition improves visibly, all vital organs such as liver and kidney are properly supplied with blood again, she eats normally, interacts with her parents and smiles. A glimmer of hope for Lorenas parents. “After a short period of time Lorena had gotten used to her two little hearts and she was getting better every day," says Lorena's father Renato Luciano Torres.

During her time in hospital, not only Lorena’s parents but also the entire medical and nursing team stand by her side. In February Lorena celebrated her first birthday with her family and the whole team.

Only two months later, in April 2018, Lorena's parents receive the long-awaited message - a donor heart is available. The ensuing transplantation is successful and only a few weeks later Lorena can finally return home.

We keep our fingers crossed for Lorena and her family and wish them all the best for the future.