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Research Snapshot Theater: Infectious Disease, Pediatric II

Infectious Profile of Pediatrics With Berlin Heart EXCOR VADs: Retrospective Cohort Study

Tuesday, March 24, 2026
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Central Time
Location: Connections Central - RST 05

  • Abanob G. Hanna, B.S. (he/him/his)

    Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose.

  • MB

    Mark Bleiweis, MD

    William G. Lassiter Jr. and Aneice R. Lassiter Professor and Director, UF Congenital Heart Center
    UF Health Congenital Heart Center

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • WW

    Wei Wang, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor
    University of Florida

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • ZV

    Zasha Vázquez-Colón, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor
    University of Florida College of Medicine

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • SS

    Sukumar Suguna, MD

    clinical assistant professor
    University of Florida College of Medicine

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • TD

    Tavenner Dibert, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor
    University of Florida

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • JJ

    Jeffrey Jacobs, MD, FACS, FACC, FCCP

    Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics
    UF Health Shands Congenital Heart Center

    Disclosure information not submitted.

  • JP

    Joseph Philip, MD

    Clinical Professor
    University of Florida College of Medicine

    Disclosure information not submitted.

Introduction: Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs), particularly the Berlin Heart EXCOR, are vital in bridging pediatric patients to heart transplantation. However, infections remain one of the most significant complications, and current literature is limited. We hypothesized that infections remain high in this population and merit further characterization to guide patient care.


Methods: This is a single-center, retrospective study. Inclusion criteria encompassed all patients under 18 who received Berlin Heart EXCOR VAD support between 2011 and 2023. Descriptive statistics included medians with interquartile ranges and frequencies with percentages. Mann-Whitney tests and Fisher’s exact tests were used to compare characteristics and outcomes.


Results: Eighty-five subjects met inclusion criteria. The cohort was mostly male (N=48, 57%) and white (N=49, 58%) with median age of 3 years old and a median BSA of 0.28. In the cohort, 49 patients (58%) had at least one culture-confirmed infection. Thirty-four patients had VAD-specific/related (driveline, infections, pump pocket infections, cannula infections, wound infections, or bacteremia/sepsis). Eighteen patients developed sepsis with organ dysfunction. Twenty-five patients received empiric antibiotics for clinical suspicion of infection without culture positivity. Of all subjects, fifty-nine patients (70%) were placed on prophylaxis antibiotics after episodes of infections, mainly cefepime. The most frequently isolated organisms were Enterobacter cloacae followed by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Subjects with VAD-specific/related had spent significantly more days on VAD than patients without (155 d v. 96 d, p=0.009). Similarity, subjects with more than 1 infection had higher rates of stroke events (63.2% v. 36.8%, p=0.033) and had spent more days on VAD (144 d v. 96 d, p=0.019).


Conclusions: Infections remain a burden among pediatrics supported with Berlin Heart EXCOR VADs, with over half developing culture-confirmed infections. Infections were associated with longer duration on VAD, and patients with more than one infection or with VAD-specific/related were at higher risk of having a stroke event.