We diagnose and treat a variety of pediatric and congenital heart diseases and defects. Our treatments and services include:
Highly Trained and Experienced Pediatric Staff
Cleveland Clinic Children's pediatric heart surgeons, cardiologists and anesthesiologists are among the most highly trained and experienced in the world. The team is the largest and most experienced in Northern Ohio.
In addition to our clinical specialists, we rely on the entire pediatric team to ensure the very best results for our child and adolescent patients, including the referring physician, the patient's family, specially trained cardiac nurses, allied health professionals, social workers and child life specialists.
Innovative Heart Disease Treatments
Our pediatric cardiac surgeons manage all forms of heart disease in children. We routinely perform the most complex surgeries such as Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot, Transposition of Great Arteries, and surgical palliation for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and single ventricles.
For some instances of pediatric congenital heart disease, Cleveland Clinic Children's specialists may recommend medication.
- If intervention (other than medication) is needed, our pediatric cardiologists can repair certain heart defects in the cardiac catheterization laboratory using coils, stents and implantable devices.
- These defects may be repaired through small incisions in the groin, thus eliminating the need for open-heart surgery.
Cleveland Clinic Children's is one of the first hospitals to offer percutaneous pulmonary valve replacement, eliminating the need for repeat open heart surgeries for patients who have already required surgical pulmonary valve replacement for congenital pulmonary valve conditions.
Heart Transplants and Mechanical Hearts
- We offer a heart failure/transplantation team to assess and treat children with heart failure.
- Alternatives to pediatric heart transplants, such as a mechanical heart, may offer lifesaving treatment or act as a bridge to heart transplantation.
Hybrid Pediatric Catheterization Laboratory
Children with complex congenital heart defects may need more than one procedure to correct their defects. Traditionally, those surgeries were performed separately. This innovative facility, however, allows a cardiologist and surgeon to work together. These combined, or hybrid procedures decrease down time, anesthesia use and patient recovery time. Its advanced imaging technology also makes a safer environment for both the patient and staff because it significantly reduces radiation output. Cleveland Clinic Children's is one of the few hospitals in the country to offer this state-of-the-art laboratory.
Success Rates
- In 2011, our surgical staff performed over 270 surgeries and our success rates, including those for repairing heart defects in newborns, are excellent.
- In 2011, our cardiologists performed over 450 heart-related catheterizations.
- Our Cleveland Pediatric Cardiology Center's heart transplantation success rate ranks higher than the national average.
- Cleveland Clinic Children's Pediatric Heart Transplantation Program has exceeded 100 transplants.
- In 2011, our Heart Center registered nearly 20,000 outpatient visits.
Recognition
Cardiology & Heart Surgery was nationally ranked in U.S.News & World Report's 2011-12 edition of “Best Children’s Hospitals.” More specialists were named “Best Doctors in America” by their peers than any other cardiac care program in the region.