'Little heart, big victory': Bosnian boy with artificial heart goes home after Serbian hospital treatment

A 14-year-old boy from Bosnia and Herzegovina has been discharged for home recovery following a complex and life-saving treatment at the Institute for Mother and Child Health in Belgrade, Serbia. The boy was suffering from the terminal phase of dilated cardiomyopathy and received an artificial heart.

Doctors at the institute initially provided mechanical circulatory support using ECMO after his condition worsened and he developed cardiogenic shock. Subsequently, a total artificial heart was implanted as a temporary solution pending a transplant. This highly complex procedure was a joint effort between specialists from the Institute for Mother and Child Health and the Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases 'Dedinje'.

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After the deterioration of his health condition and the development of cardiogenic shock, doctors at the Institute for Mother and Child Health 'Dr Vukan Čupić' applied mechanical circulatory support (ECMO), and then implanted a total artificial heart as a temporary solution until transplantation.

This case is considered one of the rare instances worldwide and the first in Serbia where a 14-year-old patient has successfully undergone the entire treatment process. This included ECMO, implantation of a total artificial heart, intensive care, and rehabilitation. A large multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals across various specialties contributed to the boy's care.

The boy has since been transported back to Bosnia and Herzegovina and remains on the heart transplant waiting list, which is identified as the only permanent solution for his condition. The institute emphasized the successful collaboration between health institutions in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, commending the expertise of the medical team and the remarkable courage displayed by the boy during his months-long treatment.

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This is one of the rare cases in the world and the first in Serbia in which a 14-year-old child has successfully undergone the complete course of treatment, including ECMO, implantation of a total artificial heart, intensive care, and rehabilitation.