In a landmark medical achievement, a five-year-old girl has become the world’s first pediatric patient to receive a dual-chamber artificial heart featuring fully magnetically levitated pump technology, followed by a successful heart transplant. The groundbreaking procedure was performed at TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital (TICH) in Tianjin, China.
The patient, identified as Xiaoni, was diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy—a condition that left her heart chambers unable to expand properly and caused biventricular failure. At just 12.2 kilograms with a heart measuring approximately 24 millimeters, her tiny stature presented exceptional surgical challenges.
Under the leadership of Professor Liu Xiaocheng at TICH, in collaboration with specialists from Nanjing Children’s Hospital, medical teams first implanted the advanced artificial heart device to stabilize her critical condition. This initial intervention served as a bridge to transplantation, allowing Xiaoni to eventually undergo a successful heart transplant procedure.
The hospital announced that Xiaoni’s case represents a new global record for the lowest body weight recipient of this sophisticated dual-chamber artificial heart technology. The fully magnetically levitated pump system represents cutting-edge innovation in cardiac support devices, offering improved hemodynamics and reduced risk of complications compared to previous technologies.
On Wednesday, hospital staff held a celebration as Xiaoni was discharged from the facility, marking the conclusion of what medical professionals described as an ‘extraordinary’ medical journey. The successful combination of artificial heart implantation followed by transplantation demonstrates significant advancement in treating complex pediatric cardiac conditions.