SherpaPak Cardiac Transport System: Experience in Pediatric Heart Transplantation

Introduction: The present study aimed to assess the clinical outcomes of pediatric heart transplant patients whose donor hearts were preserved with the SherpaPakCardiac Transport System. Methods: All pediatric patients undergoing heart transplantation at our center between January 2020 and June 2024 were included and described. Vasoactive inotropic score (VIS) was calculated. The cohort was divided into two groups by recipient diagnoses (cardiomyopathy vs. congenital heart disease [CHD]). They were compared based on demographics, operative details, and postoperative outcomes. The χ2 and Fisher exact tests were used for categorical variables and the Mann–Whitney U test or t-test for continuous variables. Results: A total of 18 patients were included. The median recipient age was 11.9 years (IQR: 2.5, 13.9). Half had cardiomyopathy, median total ischemic time was 236 min (IQR: 211.5, 283.5). Upon comparing the two groups, there were no significant differences observed in VIS or primary graft dysfunction (PGD) even though the median circulatory arrest time and bypass times were significantly longer in the CHD group (p < 0.05). Three patients experienced early rejection (all with CHD), but there was no mortality. Conclusions: The SherpaPak Cardiac Transport System provides safe outcomes for pediatric heart transplant patients, including those with complex CHD. Further multi-institutional and registry studies are needed to evaluate this method for pediatric heart transplantation.