Cardiothoracic Surgery

The only program of its kind in New Jersey associated with a dedicated children's hospital, the Cardiothoracic Surgery Program at The Children's Heart Center provides specialized surgical treatment and care to neonates, infants and children, comprising the full range of cardiothoracic defects, including congenital and acquired cardiac and pulmonary anomalies.

Dedicated pediatric cardiothoracic anesthesiologists team up with our cardiothoracic surgeons on all surgical procedures, and are especially valuable when dealing with complex cardiac reconstructions including valve repair, aortic root reconstruction, single ventricle anomalies, video-assisted and minimally invasive surgery, and heart transplantation. The team also serves referrals for a variety of noncardiac thoracic problems, including pulmonary, mediastinal and chest wall lesions.

The Pediatric Cardiothoracic Operating Room is a full-service, state-of-the-art facility. Anesthesia and perfusion machines are tailored for use with infants and children. It is large enough to permit simultaneous use of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography, nitric oxide administration and extracorporeal life support devices. The room also has a dedicated video-assisted surgical unit for minimally invasive procedures, and cameras with monitors for observation by perfusionists and staff. A tissue (homograft) bank is maintained for use in complex cardiac reconstructions.

Surgeons perform the full range of operations - including the most complex - in neonates, infants, children, and young adults, with results that are among the best in the United States.

Children with less complex anomalies such as atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, and tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) frequently have shorter hospital stays (on the order of 2 to 5 days).

The Children's Heart Center is one of only a few locations in the country to pioneer a minimally invasive approach to several children's cardiac operations, including patients with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Using our unique approach, babies and children are often able to leave the hospital on the day of or the day after the operation.

More than 1,000 surgical procedures have been performed since the program began, representing the largest program of its kind in New Jersey.

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