KUALA LUMPUR – The National Heart Institute (IJN) has made a groundbreaking achievement with the successful implantation of Malaysia’s first Paediatric Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), a procedure that marks a major advancement in the country’s paediatric cardiac care.
The procedure was performed on March 29, 2025, just two days before Hari Raya, on 12-year-old Jackson Foong Yi Jie, who had been urgently referred to IJN with severe heart failure.
Jackson, previously healthy and the son of two primary school teachers, had been suffering from fever, diarrhoea, and vomiting for six days before being admitted, Vital Sign Asia reported.
When he arrived at IJN, his ejection fraction (EF) — a key measure of heart function — was critically low at just 15%, far below the healthy range of 50% or more.
Jackson’s condition worsened quickly after being transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU), leading to seizures and ventricular fibrillation (VF), a life-threatening heart arrhythmia. After three minutes of CPR, he was resuscitated.
In a high-stakes decision, the medical team decided to implant a Paediatric LVAD, a device designed to temporarily take over the heart’s pumping function. The LVAD is typically used in patients with advanced heart failure, either to give the heart time to recover or to act as a bridge to a heart transplant if necessary.
The LVAD works by drawing blood from the left ventricle and pumping it into the aorta, the main artery that carries oxygen-rich blood to the body. The device is connected to a control unit outside the body, which monitors its function and the heart’s condition.
Khairul Anuar Abdul Aziz, Deputy Head of the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Department at IJN, who led the operation, described the procedure as “a life-saving intervention” that helped maintain circulation and allowed Jackson’s heart to recover.
The specific device used was the CentriMag™ Acute Circulatory Support System, an external blood pump used for short-term support of up to 30 days. Its design helps minimise risks of clotting and stagnation by reducing blood contact.
A multidisciplinary team, including cardiothoracic surgeons, anaesthetists, paediatric cardiologists, cardiac intensivists, perfusionists, and nurses, worked together under intense pressure to ensure the procedure’s success.
Left-sided heart failure, which Jackson was experiencing, is far more severe than right-sided failure, as the left side of the heart is responsible for pumping oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. When it fails, it can lead to confusion, dizziness, shortness of breath, and swelling in the legs.
After 16 days of LVAD support, Jackson’s heart showed significant improvement, allowing the medical team to safely remove the device on April 14, 2025.
Dr. Joyce Darshinee, Consultant Paediatric Cardiac Intensivist, who oversaw Jackson’s post-operative care, said, “Jackson has this contagious smile, and everyone involved in his care is thrilled that he has made an almost full recovery, with no neurological symptoms despite experiencing cardiac arrest. Fortunately, his heart recovered, and he didn’t need a heart transplant.”
Jackson, who is now enrolled in a cardiac rehabilitation programme, continues to make remarkable progress. He is expected to be discharged from IJN soon.
This achievement highlights IJN’s growing expertise in treating complex paediatric heart conditions and cements its role as a leader in cardiac care in Malaysia and the region. - May 12, 2025
This article first appeared on Vital Signs Asia
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