Medical Milestone: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Performs Its First Artificial Heart Surgery on Infant with Complex Congenital Heart Disease

-- Toddler Thriving with New Heart Following CHOP's Innovative Use of Mechanical Support Devices --

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), a team successfully performed a total artificial heart surgery on an infant with complex congenital heart disease supported by a combination of ventricular assist devices. Following the removal of most of his heart tissue, including both ventricles, the patient was supported by devices for nine months until a heart transplant was feasible.

Michael Webb, now two years old, was born with double outlet right ventricle (DORV) and Taussig-Bing anomaly, a rare and complex congenital heart defect. In this condition, both the aorta and pulmonary artery arise from the right ventricle, with a ventricular septal defect (VSD) beneath the pulmonary artery. Diagnosed prenatally, Michael initially received treatment near his family's home in Virginia and underwent several open-heart surgeries before being transferred to the Cardiac Center at CHOP, renowned for treating complex pediatric cardiac conditions.

"When Michael came to CHOP, he was just 10 months old and critically ill," said Katsuhide Maeda, MD, PhD, Director of Mechanical Circulatory Support and ECMO, the Surgical Director of Cardiac Lymphatics, and the Surgical Director of the Heart and Lung Transplant Programs at CHOP. "As a team, we were faced with the daunting task of stabilizing him without conventional surgical options. We recognized he would need a heart transplant to survive."

Michael's journey to a transplant required the team to create a medical bridge through innovative therapies and devices to support organ function. Doctors at CHOP proposed a novel surgical procedure, unprecedented in patients of Michael's size at the hospital. The procedure involved removing most of his heart tissue, including both ventricles, and initially replacing it with a biventricular setup. This approach provided short-term circulatory support until a longer-term solution became possible. As Michael improved, the team transitioned him to two Berlin Hearts, which are fully mechanical devices designed to replace a failing heart, restoring blood flow and supporting vital organ function.

As one of the most experienced heart failure programs in the nation, CHOP's Advanced Cardiac Therapies for Heart Failure Patients (ACT-HF) program is crucial for young patients like Michael who require specialized treatment. The program focuses on innovative uses of mechanical circulatory support devices, like ventricular assist devices (VADs), to enhance heart function.

For nine months, Michael lived at CHOP without a heart, relying on VAD support to stay alive. During this time, he participated in intensive, interdisciplinary rehabilitation – a key element of CHOP's ACT-HF program. For children with VADs, like Michael, intensive physical, occupational and speech therapies support normal development and help ensure patients are as healthy as possible for transplantation.

In December 2024, Michael's family received the joyful news that he was getting a new heart.  While Michael faced some challenges after his transplant, he demonstrated incredible resilience, recovering swiftly and returning home earlier this year. Now thriving with his new heart, Michael's parents say he reveals new facets of his personality daily. Despite the monthly nine-hour drive for follow-up appointments at CHOP, Michael and his parents have embraced their new routine.

"We are grateful to the team at CHOP, and to our donor family, for turning what could have been a tragedy into a triumph," said Richard Webb, Michael's father. "We hope our story offers hope and inspiration for other families navigating similar challenges."

About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia:  
A non-profit, charitable organization, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, the hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. The institution has a well-established history of providing advanced pediatric care close to home through its CHOP Care Network, which includes more than 50 primary care practices, specialty care and surgical centers, urgent care centers, and community hospital alliances throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. CHOP also operates the Middleman Family Pavilion and its dedicated pediatric emergency department in King of Prussia, the Behavioral Health and Crisis Center (including a 24/7 Crisis Response Center) and the Center for Advanced Behavioral Healthcare, a mental health outpatient facility. Its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit www.chop.edu.

Contact: Natalie Solimeo
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
267-426-6246
[email protected]

SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia