CHOP Pioneering Approach Advances Pediatric Heart Recovery

New report highlights hospital's standardized program to help children's hearts recover using ventricular assist devices.

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

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Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have pioneered a specialized program to encourage and identify pediatric patients who could benefit from heart recovery using ventricular assist devices (VADs). The study found that 26% of patients supported by VADs were able to have their devices explanted after successful heart recovery, demonstrating the potential for VADs to aid in recovery rather than just serve as a bridge to transplant.

Why it matters

The findings mark a significant shift in the treatment of severe pediatric heart disease, offering new hope to cardiac patients and their families. The standardized evaluation process introduced by CHOP could help identify more candidates for VAD therapy and improve outcomes and quality of life, which is crucial given the limited number of potential heart transplant donors.

The details

CHOP's specialized ventricular recovery program consisted of four core components: assessing ventricular recovery for all VAD patients, universal use of reverse remodeling medications, stepwise evaluation of ventricular function, and multidisciplinary discussion. Over a 2-year period, 35 patients were supported with durable VADs, and 26% were able to have their devices successfully removed after heart recovery. All children who had their VADs explanted were on multiple heart failure medications, suggesting a potential link warranting further research. Most recoveries occurred in infants, possibly due to adaptable hearts or shorter heart failure durations prior to device implant.

  • The study was conducted over a 2-year period from 2022 to 2024.
  • CHOP implemented its specialized ventricular recovery program in 2022.

The players

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)

A non-profit, charitable organization and the nation's first pediatric hospital, founded in 1855. CHOP is known for its long-standing commitment to exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives.

Jonathan Edelson, MD MSCE

The study's senior author and Medical Director of the Heart Transplant and Ventricular Assist Device Program at CHOP.

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What they’re saying

“The clinical implications of this approach are significant. It suggests there may be higher than anticipated rates of heart recovery in children with cardiomyopathy who are supported by VADs and introduces a novel paradigm in which VADs can be thought of as tools for recovery rather than just bridges to heart transplant.”

— Jonathan Edelson, MD MSCE, Medical Director of the Heart Transplant and Ventricular Assist Device Program at CHOP (biospace.com)

“For some families, opting for heart function recovery and device removal is preferable over a heart transplant, despite inherent risks. Procedures like cardiac resynchronization therapy during device removal could expand the pool of candidates for this option. This research underscores the need for ongoing evaluation and careful patient selection to improve outcomes for children with severe heart failure, while advocating for innovative approaches and collaborations to boost recovery prospects.”

— Jonathan Edelson, MD MSCE, Medical Director of the Heart Transplant and Ventricular Assist Device Program at CHOP (biospace.com)

What’s next

Researchers plan to study whether similar ventricular recovery programs can be implemented at other hospitals and to examine the long-term outcomes for children who have had their ventricular assist devices successfully removed.

The takeaway

CHOP's pioneering approach to using ventricular assist devices for heart recovery in children, rather than just as a bridge to transplant, offers new hope for cardiac patients and their families. The standardized evaluation process could help identify more candidates for this innovative therapy and improve outcomes, addressing the limited availability of pediatric heart transplant donors.