Texas Children’s Celebrates 20 Years Since Historic Ventricular Assist Device Surgery

Twenty years ago, Texas Children’s Heart Center saved Brady’s life through a groundbreaking surgery that transformed pediatric heart care. 

“Texas Children’s knew what they were doing,” said Becky, Brady’s mother. “They took care of us.”

Brady became the first baby in Texas and one of the smallest in the United States to have the Berlin Heart — a ventricular assist device (VAD) — implanted in him at three months old. This device helped save his life and stabilize him so he could wait for and then undergo a heart transplant. 

Becky and her husband didn’t know what to expect when their son underwent the five-hour surgery to temporarily treat Brady’s congenital heart condition before he received a donor heart. But they believed that Brady was in good hands.

“We had faith in God that this tool was available for us,” said Becky. “We put our cards on it, and we were thankful.”

The Diagnosis

Image

When Becky was 26 weeks pregnant, she and her husband were told by doctors in Corpus Christi that Brady had severe heart failure. 

“They did not expect him to live,” remembered Becky. “They told us that the odds of him making it to term were very slim to none.”

Brady had aortic valve stenosis with severe left ventricular dysfunction. This heart disease occurs when the aortic valve, the valve between the left ventricle and aorta, becomes narrow. The narrowed valve makes it difficult for blood to flow from the heart to the rest of the body. The disease resulted in Brady developing an enlarged and failing left ventricle. The left ventricle, the heart’s main pumping chamber, enlarges and becomes weak when its muscle is thinned and stretched from reduced pumping efficiency. 

Corpus Christi doctors delivered Brady at 34 weeks of gestation by induced labor with the hope they could treat his heart condition.

Several times, doctors performed balloon dilation of the aortic valve on Brady. This procedure is performed by using a small balloon to stretch open the aortic valve in the heart so blood could easily flow through his body. Although the procedures kept Brady alive, there was nothing more doctors could do to treat his heart condition. 

Becky and her husband decided to get a second opinion on how their son’s heart could be treated from Texas Children’s. 

At six weeks old, Brady, who was in severe heart failure, was transferred to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Texas Children’s Heart Center. Doctors at Texas Children’s consistently performed balloon dilation on Brady’s aortic valve, but his heart was still extremely weak. Doctors decided to list him for a heart transplant. 

Time was running out for doctors to save Brady’s life. Doctors presented Becky and her husband with two treatment options that could possibly keep Brady alive while he waited for a donor heart: an ECMO or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation life support machine or the Berlin Heart. 

Doctors told Becky and her husband small babies the size of Brady had been hooked to the ECMO machine. But the machine would increase the risk of him bleeding out or having a stroke if he were to be on it for more than 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the implantation of the Berlin Heart was successful in Germany, which is where the VAD was manufactured. The only catch — the device had never been implanted at Texas Children’s, and there was no certainty Brady would survive long enough to receive a donor heart. 

“My husband and I had 48 hours to make a decision,” said Becky. We didn’t know when a heart would become available, and the ECMO machine seemed to have more risks. So, we chose the Berlin Heart.” 

Brady’s critical condition prompted doctors to take immediate action by undergoing an FDA approval process for emergency use of the Berlin Heart. 

“It was really difficult,” recalled Becky with a shaky voice. 

Saving Lives Through Innovation 

Although it didn’t take long for the Berlin Heart to arrive at Texas Children’s from Germany, doctors had to postpone Brady’s surgery because of a hurricane. Patients had to move down floors to ensure safety from the storm. 

“It was a scary time,” remembered Becky. “Brady was one of the sickest patients at the time. He was one of the last patients to be moved. They were scared he wasn't even going to make the move from the 18th floor down to the third floor where we needed him to spend the night through the hurricane.” 

When the hurricane passed, doctors began the process of implanting the VAD into Brady. 

On Sept. 27, 2005, doctors placed small, flexible tubes into Brady’s heart. These tubes were connected through his skin to a pump outside his body. The mechanical pump and a computerized drive unit worked together to keep his blood flowing.

“After Brady’s surgery, the nurses needed to see the blood on the other side of the pump to make sure it was flowing correctly,” said Becky. “So, one of the nurses ran down to the gift shop and bought a little compact mirror. The only way for the nurses to see the blood flow was to put the mirror underneath the pump on his chest. Minute by minute, they were learning, and so were we.” 

Brady was on the VAD for 48 hours before a donor heart became available. “He was only on the pump for a very short amount of time, but we truly believe that it helped him become strong enough to live through the heart transplant,” said Becky. 

Becky said she and her husband are happy they took a risk to not only save Brady’s life but the lives of children around the world. 

“I'm proud of us for trusting in the process so that so many kids can be saved by the pump,” said Becky in an upbeat tone. “I read about how the pump has saved kids’ lives all the time, and I always say, ‘We had a hand in helping them and Brady.’ He's our miracle.”

Steps Toward Better Heart Care 

In 2011, the FDA approved the Berlin Heart for pediatric patients. Brady’s case contributed significantly to the VAD’s approval to save the lives of the tiniest newborns to growing teenagers with heart failure. 

At the time of his VAD implantation, Brady had to be confined to a hospital bed. Today, due to advances in cardiac care at Texas Children’s, most children who have the Berlin Heart can walk, play and enjoy other activities in the hospital while connected to the VAD. 

“We have the utmost trust in Texas Children’s,” said Becky. “They find things like the Berlin Heart, and they bring it here. They save children every day, so we're thankful to them.”

The Results Are Transformative 

Since Brady was a baby when he received the Berlin Heart, he doesn’t remember the historic contribution he made to heart medicine. But he is grateful, every day, for the life he and others who had heart failure get to live because of Texas Children’s. 

“It makes me feel good,” said Brady with a smile. “People are able to walk around with this machine, and I think that's super cool. And from 2005 to now, so much has changed, and technology gets better. Even the stuff they do now versus the stuff they'll do in 10 years will be totally different. Maybe one day, heart transplants aren't even a thing anymore.” 

Brady’s donor heart, 20 years later, still allows him to enjoy the activities he loves such as spending time with his family, watching sports, bird hunting and fishing. He also has a passion for golf and played the sport in middle and high school. 

“Sept. 29, 2005 is the day I got my heart, and we, as a family, always celebrate and go to dinner,” said Brady. “So, that day is very special to me.” 

On October 30th, Texas Children’s Heart Center providers and staff came together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Brady’s case, which redefined the hospital’s approach to bridge-to-transplant care for patients with heart failure. The celebration acknowledged the past, present, and future of mechanical circulatory support and cardiac care at the hospital with a presentation from Chief of Congenital Heart Surgery, Dr. Jeffrey Heinle, and Surgical Director of the Heart Transplant and Mechanical Support, Dr. Iki Adachi.

“Brady’s journey inspired hope for children with heart failure,” said Dr. Adachi, “As we mark this wonderful, 20-year milestone, we celebrate the teamwork that made his recovery possible and reaffirm our commitment to innovative cardiac care.”

Becky said she will always appreciate the doctors at Texas Children’s who did not give up on Brady and considered all their options when he was teetering on life. 

“When families come to Texas Children's from outside hospitals, I just hope Texas Children's knows how thankful we are that they stay up to date on the latest and the greatest technology for these kids, and that they're willing to sacrifice the risks and benefits of these new procedures and new machines,” said Becky. “This is home for us.”