Michael F. Swartz, Ph.D.

Despite surgical ingenuity to palliate the 1000 infants born annually in the United States with single ventricle (SV) physiology, the predicted life expectancy for these patients remains less than three decades without cardiac transplantation. Shortly after birth, infants undergo the first in a series of operations which ultimately diverts systemic venous return away from the heart, directly into the pulmonary vasculature. Although short and midterm results of this palliation are acceptable, the majority of patients succumb to heart failure. Cardiac transplantation is the optimal treatment; however, due to limited organ supply and an absence of circulatory support strategies, nearly 25% of failing SV patients die while awaiting cardiac transplant.
We have developed a survival, single ventricle, large animal model that we are currently using to test different strategies for mechanical circulatory support. These strategies developed at the URMC and from other vendors, may provide further options for single ventricle patients while awaiting transplant.