Larry Latson, M.D.

Section Head, Congenital Heart Disease

Larry A. Latson, BS, MD, was born in Amarillo, Texas. He grew up in Houston, Texas, and began his career at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital. Dr. Latson moved to the University of Nebraska where he was promoted to Chief of the Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and Vice Chairman for Research in the Department of Pediatrics. He came to Cleveland Clinic in 1993 as the Chairman of Pediatric Cardiology. He served in this capacity until 2006, when he elected to devote more time to patient care and research.  

Dr. Latson is Professor of Pediatrics at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University and remains Medical Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory in the Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Diseases at Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Latson is board-certified in pediatrics, pediatric cardiology and pediatric critical care. During his career, he has served as director of echocardiography, intensive care, and cardiac catheterization laboratories at a number of hospitals.  

Dr. Latson is an innovator who has been particularly active in the field of interventional catheterization for congenital heart defects. Development of these interventional catheterization techniques makes possible the treatment of a number of congenital heart defects without the patient needing to undergo open-heart surgery. Dr. Latson holds a patent for one type of device to treat a hole in the heart and was the national principal investigator for the trials which led to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of one of only two devices that have been approved in the United States for treatment of atrial septal defect. Dr. Latson continues to innovate and is the developer of a program to offer catheter intervention even to the unborn fetus with certain types of severe congenital heart defects.

Dr. Latson has been the recipient of numerous awards including Best Doctors in America (Good Housekeeping magazine), America’s Top Pediatricians and Top Docs (Cleveland magazine). He has also received awards for teaching and research from Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Latson is a frequent invited lecturer at national and international meetings. He has authored more than 100 scientific papers, primarily dealing with congenital heart disease. He was Chairman of the Section on Congenital Heart Disease in the Society of Cardiac Angiography and Interventions, and Section Editor for the related journal, Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions. He has contributed chapters to over a dozen books on various aspects of congenital heart disease.

Professional Highlights:  

• Chairman of the Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic,1993-2006
• Named one of America’s Top Pediatricians and one of the Best Doctors in America (Good Housekeeping magazine) 
• Received Best Teacher and Best Research Awards from the Department of Pediatrics at Cleveland Clinic
• Pioneered the use of innovative techniques to allow both pediatric and adult patients with congenital heart defects avoid open heart surgery
• Begun an innovative program for fetal cardiac catheter intervention at Cleveland Clinic

Specialty Interests:

Catheter interventions to reduce or eliminate the need for open-heart surgical procedures in pediatric and adult patients with congenital heart disease, and specialized imaging techniques for the detection and treatment of congenital heart disease, including echocardiography, intracardiac echocardiography, and magnetic resonance imaging/computed tomography.

Innovations and Patents:  

• Holds a patent on a type of device for closing a “hole in the heart” 
• National principal investigator for trials for one of only two devices that have been approved  for closing “hole in the heart” in the United States
• Pioneered the capability of treating even unborn babies with certain types of severe congenital heart defects using catheter devices delivered into the womb

Awards and Honors: 

• NIH Training Fellowship, 1981
• NIH New Investigator Research Award, 1983
• Co-Recipient, Teacher of the Year Award, Cleveland Clinic, 1993
• Pediatric Research Award, Cleveland Clinic, 2006
• America’s Top Doctors (Castle Connolly Ltd. Peer Nomination), 2001-Present
• Best Doctors in America, 1994-Present
• America’s Top Pediatricians, 2002-Present
• Top Docs, Cleveland magazine, 2006, 2007 
• Editorial Boards, Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions and Annals of Pediatrics

Licensure:

MD, Medical Doctor, Ohio,           
MD,  Medical Doctor, Illinois
MD, Medical Doctor, Michigan 
MD, Medical Doctor, Texas        
MD, Medical Doctor, Nebraska 

DEA

• Chairman of the Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic,1993-2006
• Named one of America’s Top Pediatricians and Best Doctors in America, Good Housekeeping magazine
• Best Teacher and Best Research Awards, Department of Pediatrics and Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic
• Pioneered the use of innovative techniques to allow both pediatric and adult patients with congenital heart defects avoid open heart surgery
• Begun an innovative program for fetal cardiac catheter intervention at Cleveland Clinic

• 2002, National Emergency Airway Management Course
• American Heart Association, BLS for Healthcare Professionals (CPR & AED) Program

Pediatric Critical Care Medicine

Pediatric Cardiology

Pediatrics

• 1993, Co-Recipient, Best Teacher Award, presented by Cardiology Fellows at Cleveland Clinic
• 1994-Present, Best Doctors in America
• 2001-2003, Strathmore’s Who’s Who, Strathmore Directories, Ltd.
• 2003, Honorary Chairman of Ohio, National Leadership Award
• 2001-Present, America’s Top Doctors, premier edition, Castle Connolly Medical, Ltd.
• 2002-Present, America’s Top Pediatricians, Guide to America’s Top Pediatricians, SLD Industries
• 2001-2006, Editor, Section of Congenital Heart Disease, Catheterization and Cardiovascular Intervention      
• 2004-Present, Editorial Board, Catheterization and Cardiovascular Intervention
• 2004, 2007, Top Docs, Northern Ohio Live magazine
• 2004, 2007, Faculty Member of the Congenital Heart Disease Section of “Faculty of 1000 Medicine"
• 2005, First David J. Driscoll lecturer at Mayo Clinic 
• 2006, 2007, Top Docs, Cleveland magazine
• 2006 Award for Research in Pediatrics, Cleveland Clinic
• 2008, Board of Editors, Annals of Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatric Cardiac Society of India

• 1982-Present, American Academy of Pediatrics
• 1983-Present, American College of Cardiology; 2005-Present, Congenital Heart  Disease and Pediatric Cardiology Section
• 2003-Present, American Heart Association
• 1993-Present, Society of Cardiac Angiography and Interventions
• 1984-Present, Midwest Pediatric Cardiology Society; 2004-Present, Board of Directors