Cardiac Surgery

The pediatric cardiac surgery program at Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital is the largest in the state of Illinois, and is one of the most active programs in the country. It provides comprehensive care for all children with congenital or acquired heart disease requiring surgical intervention, as well as care to adults with congenital heart disease. The pediatric subspecialists at Hope Children’s Hospital also coordinate their work with The Heart Institute for Children, providing the total range of services throughout the continuum of care.

The surgical team includes four experienced surgeons who received extensive training in pediatric heart surgery at renowned institutions across the United States. It also includes physician assistants and senior nursing personnel, all of whom are dedicated exclusively to the care of children.

In addition, the program attracts fellows, residents and medical students from local or international hospitals who are seeking further training or education in the field of pediatric heart surgery.

Surgical procedures performed at The Heart Institute for Children each year account for nearly 50 percent of all patients in the Chicago metropolitan area, and include out-of-state referrals, as well as patients from other countries. The procedures cover the entire spectrum, from the simplest to the most complex, and include:

	Neonatal cardiac surgery: newborns with complex lesions, such as hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and various types of transposition of the great arteries are routinely treated. Primary repair is usually performed to avoid multiple procedures, regardless of weight and age. Early and accurate diagnosis before the baby is born contributes to the excellent surgical results.
	Surgery for complex lesions in children beyond infancy includes innovative approaches that aim at giving the child a long-lasting cure, at reducing further surgical intervention and at providing a normal lifestyle.
	Support of the failing heart and lung with Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is used when other therapies have failed. It allows the heart and lung to recover from acute failure, or prepares the patient for cardiac transplantation, which is available as an alternative treatment whenever it is needed.
	Surgery, in conjunction with highly specialized cardiac electrophysiologic procedures for abnormal heart rhythm, supplements the excellent medical therapies available.

The team utilizes a state-of-the-art pediatric surgical heart unit, which is primarily geared for children with heart disease and staffed with experienced nursing staff dedicated to the care of these patients.