No matter what type of cardiac care your child needs, the Congenital Heart Institute at Arnold Palmer Hospital and Miami Children’s Hospital provides the most sophisticated technology and procedures available anywhere. This means quicker recovery times, shorter hospital stays, fewer hospital visits, a better outcome, and ultimately - better health.
Services provided
State-of-the-Art Children’s Heart Care
In 2008 Arnold Palmer Hospital was accompanied by Miami Children’s Hospital in U.S.News & World Report’s coveted Top 30 pediatric hospitals for heart care and heart surgery. The opportunity arose for these two top-honored hospitals to join forces, resulting in the creation of the Congenital Heart Institute—a state-of-the-art cardiac care program for children with congenital heart disorders. By combining their individual strengths and expertise, these premier facilities offer the most comprehensive pediatric cardiac care available in Florida.
The Congenital Heart Institute
The Congenital Heart Institute brings together a select group of leading-edge cardiologists, cardiac anesthesiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, physicians, nurses, ntensivists and technicians to offer extensive expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of infants and children with heart disease. Our multidisciplinary team provides the individual attention and focused care that our patients and their families need to heal. Through a wide range of specialized services and expert care, the Congenital Heart Institute gives young heart patients the chance to be amazing kids. Please visit our Congenital Heart Institute page for additional information.
Pediatric Heart Surgery
Our nationally recognized pediatric heart surgery program provides unparalleled preoperative and postoperative care in conjunction with a wide range of state-of-the-art surgical procedures. Innovative techniques, such as using endoscopic cameras and specialized micro instruments, enable our cardiac surgeons to correct many heart defects without making major chest incisions. These minimally invasive techniques result in less postoperative pain and a safer, faster recovery. Plus, long-term cosmetic results are dramatically superior to conventional surgical incisions.
Our advanced surgical procedures include:
- Complex neonatal congenital heart surgery
- Minimally invasive surgery
- Cardiopulmonary support / ventricular assist / extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
- Autologous or directed blood donation offered upon request for surgical procedures requiring blood transfusions
- Bloodless surgery
Interventional Cardiac Catheterization
Many heart conditions in children can now be successfully treated without the need for open-heart surgery. Small catheters can be inserted through a blood vessel, usually in the leg, and guided into the heart. Through these catheters, a wide variety of heart problems— such as holes in the heart or narrow valves or vessels—can be treated. Typically, children are out of the hospital less than 24 hours after an interventional cardiac catheterization.
Pediatric Cardiology
The cardiology group of the Congenital Heart Institute is comprised of highly trained “supersubspecialists.” This diverse group of physicians provides comprehensive cardiac care for infants, children and adults with congenital heart disease. Each highly specialized physician has received extra training in a particular cardiac discipline, ensuring that all areas of cardiology provide state-of-the-art care.
Prenatal Cardiology
The Congenital Heart Institute is actively involved with the Fetal Diagnostic Center at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. Through this collaboration, physicians evaluate both the mother and baby. Using the most advanced technology, such as echocardiograms, specialists are able to assess the structure of the baby’s heart while still in the womb. Early diagnosis of heart conditions helps coordinate infant and family needs at the time of birth and beyond.
Invasive Electrophysiology
Invasive electrophysiology is a special type of cardiac catheterization that is used to evaluate children with arrhythmia—heart rhythm irregularities. Electrophysiology studies the heart’s electrical system with electrodes that help pinpoint the section of heart tissue that is sending out faulty electrical signals. Once the source of the malfunction is identified, the problem is corrected using radio frequency energy delivered through a catheter during the same procedure. This procedure is remarkably safe and successful.
Outpatient Cardiology Services
Children may be diagnosed and treated as outpatients when possible, and referred for inpatient testing as indicated. Diagnostic tests include full, noninvasive diagnostic studies, electrocardiography, Doppler-flow, echocardiography, stress testing, Holter and event recorder monitoring, and fetal echocardiology. All of these services at the Congenital Heart Institute are provided with unequaled expertise.
Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology
Pediatric anesthesiology is one of three recognized postgraduate subspecialties of anesthesiology. It requires an additional year of special training beyond that required for board certification in anesthesiology. Our anesthesiologists are not only pediatric-trained, but further subspecialized to treat children with heart disease. This provides the greatest expertise possible when anesthetizing a child for a heart procedure.