Our pediatric cardiologists and cardiac surgeons provide care for children of all ages -- from fetuses still in the womb through infants, young children, and adolescents. This can include a heart problem your child was born with (called a congenital heart defect) or one he or she developed in childhood.If your child is diagnosed with a heart defect before birth, we will work with our maternal-fetal experts to plan for your baby’s delivery and begin providing appropriate care as soon as your child is born.
Our skilled pediatric cardiologists provide expert care for complex heart conditions such as major structural abnormalities, arrhythmias, or cardiomyopathy.
For diseases or conditions that can affect the heart, such as Marfan syndrome, we provide ongoing monitoring and management of your child’s heart health.
If your child has concerning symptoms, such as chest pain, or findings such as a heart murmur, high blood pressure, or elevated cholesterol, we offer thorough examination and testing to determine whether your child has a heart problem.
If your child needs a device or procedure -- such as such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, or catheter ablation to manage arrhythmia or other heart rhythm disorder -- our pediatric interventional cardiologists can offer the technology or technique most likely to benefit your child.
Our skilled pediatric cardiac surgeons and their teams perform a range of delicate and demanding heart surgeries, from repairing structural defects to heart transplants.
If your child needs care from experts outside of pediatric cardiology, we coordinate your child’s care with Duke pediatric specialists in neurology, gastroenterology, genetics, physical and occupational therapy, behavioral health, and other areas so your child achieves and maintains the highest quality of life possible.
Peds Cardiac Surgery
This division provides comprehensive care for patients with congenital heart defects in all age groups. For newborns, we emphasize neonatal correction of complex congenital heart defects, with results that rival those of the country's largest centers. The division sees outstanding results in surgery for single-ventricle anatomy, including hypoplastic leftheart syndrome and tricuspid atresia.
Other areas of excellence include surgery for transposition of the great arteries, pulmonary atresia, truncus arteriosius, interrupted aortic arch, and total anomalous pulmonary venous connection. At the other end of the age spectrum, our surgeons provide exclusive surgical support for adults with congenital heart disease and work closely with members of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic.
Our surgeons use minimally invasive techniques whenever possible for primary repair of congenital heart defects. Examples include mini-incisions for less complex openheart operations and thoracoscopic approaches for non-openheart procedures. While cosmetic results are not the primary goal of heart surgery, surgical team members understand that leaving the smallest incision possible is an important consideration for children and their families.
For our patients with severely impaired cardiac function, Duke boasts the Southeast's largest and most successful ECMO program, which is supported by Duke's nationally respected perfusion services and dedicated pediatric perfusionists. The division also has experience in cardiac transplantation for children, including experience with ventricular assist devices (VADs) to support children awaiting transplant.
The division is also nationally recognized for its research contributions, with areas of interest that include modulation of the adverse effects of the heart-lung machine and genetic therapy for myocardial hypertrophy and heart failure. We are also committed to training the next generation of practitioners who will lead the advancement and development of our field.
Treatments
We offer treatment and expertise in the areas of heart transplantation and cardiac assist devices, as well as providing services for adults with congenital heart disease.
Commonly Treated Conditions and Procedures
We employ minimally invasive approaches, whenever possible. Our most commonly treated conditions and procedures include:
Conditions
•Congenital heart defects
•Hypoplastic left-heart syndrome
•Tricuspid atresia
•Transposition of great arteries
•Interrupted aortic arch
•Anomalous pulmonary venous connection
•Aortic stenosis
•Aortic coarctation
Procedures
•Neonatal repairs•Arterial switch procedure Atrial Septal Defect•Norwood procedure •Ross procedure •Cardiac transplantation Ventricular Septal Defect•Ventricular assist device (VAD)•Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
Benefit from Our Family-Centered Care
We understand your entire family is affected when you have a sick child. Our family-centered care includes support groups, wellness programs, and education for siblings to help them understand what is happening to their brother or sister. If your child needs to stay in the hospital, our Ronald McDonald House Family Room includes amenities to make your family’s stay as comfortable as possible, such as showers, computers with internet access, and laundry facilities.
Our Child Life program helps your young child cope with hospitalization through play, procedure preparation, and self-expression activities. They can meet other children going through similar experiences in our activity room.
We try to make it as convenient as possible for your child to receive the care he or she needs. Our pediatric cardiology services are available at clinics around North Carolina, including Durham, Raleigh, Cary, Greensboro, and Fayetteville. If you’re having a hard time getting to your child’s appointments, talk to one of our nurse coordinators about ways we may be able to bring our services closer to you and your family.
Fetal Cardiology
Diagnosing Congenital Heart Defects, Planning for Pregnancy and Delivery
Diagnosing heart problems before birth ensures your baby gets the most effective treatment he or she needs as early as possible. Our pediatric heart imaging experts use the latest screening technology to diagnose congenital heart defects while babies are still in the womb. If your baby is diagnosed with a heart defect, we offer every resource you need for your pregnancy, your delivery at Duke University Hospital, and to help you prepare for your baby’s treatment before and after birth.
Diagnosing Congenital Heart Defects Before Birth
Congenital heart defects are problems with a baby’s heart structure that can range from simple, easy-to-fix concerns to more complex conditions that require pediatric heart surgery and ongoing care through adulthood. If a heart abnormality is detected during a routine ultrasound scan, or another medical concern is suspected, you will be referred to our fetal cardiology team. Identifying congenital heart defects requires precise screening performed by experts, like those at Duke, who are trained to recognize congenital heart defects as early as the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy.
Our fetal heart experts perform more than 1,000 ultrasound scans each year and use advanced tests to accurately diagnose your baby’s possible heart condition as soon as possible. These noninvasive tests require no radiation or contrast-dye injections and pose no health concerns to you or your baby.
Fetal echocardiogram is a more sophisticated version of the ultrasound you normally get during pregnancy. It is performed by a medical expert who is specially trained to use this technology to evaluate the structure and function of a fetal heart.
Fetal magnetic resonance imaging, or Fetal MRI, uses radio waves and a computer to create clear, high-resolution images of your baby’s heart structures without the need for X-rays or ionizing radiation.
If a heart defect is found, your pediatric cardiologist will discuss the diagnosis and its implications for your pregnancy and delivery, and recommend a treatment plan for your baby.
We may advise that you undergo genetic testing if you have a family history of congenital heart disease, or your baby is identified as having a genetic or chromosomal abnormality.
You may be scheduled for regular fetal stress tests and more frequent appointments with your obstetrician, the pediatric cardiologist, and other members of our team, such as a pediatric heart surgeon, as you get closer to your delivery date.
You may receive safe medications during your pregnancy that are passed from your bloodstream to your baby’s.
During your pregnancy, you may meet other members of our team, including anesthesiologists, nurses, and social workers, as well as other specialists, such as endocrinologists and nutritionists, if and when you need them. We coordinate your care so that the multiple specialists you work with can review test results and images (such as ultrasounds) at the same time.
Fetal Cardiology Care During Pregnancy
We know pregnancy can be stressful when your unborn child has a heart problem. In addition to providing an exceptional level of care, our fetal cardiology team is committed to making this trying time as easy on your family as possible.
You will work with a dedicated nurse coordinator. We will coordinate your appointments to reduce your number of visits to our clinics and you get the most benefit from the time you spend with us.
Multiple locations. With pregnancy care clinics located throughout the region, we can help limit the amount of time you spend traveling for care.
Take a Personalized Tour. Knowing what to expect during and after delivery can make the process feel less scary. We offer tours of our delivery rooms, intensive care nursery (NICU), pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU), and other facilities.
Planning Your Delivery at Duke
If your baby is diagnosed with a congenital heart defect before birth, you will deliver at Duke University Hospital, where you will have access to our experts and the latest advances in pediatric care.
Level III NICU and step-down nursery. Depending on the severity of your baby’s condition, you may be scheduled for a cesarean section, and your baby may go directly to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after delivery. Our NICU is equipped to treat babies with heart issues, as well as those born as early as 32 weeks. Our step-down nursery is for babies who are recovering or need less intensive monitoring and care.
Skin-to-skin bonding. This connection between mother and baby is an important and cherished time during the first few days of life. We work to make sure you and your child can safely experience this bonding as much as possible, and as soon as possible after birth.
Ronald McDonald House. If you’ll need accommodations for an extended stay in Durham after your baby’s birth, we can help prepare your paperwork and reservations for the nearby Ronald McDonald House before your delivery.
We are here for you. Our pediatric heart center can help you and your family coordinate care from childhood through adulthood, so the right treatments are always available.
Ready for an appointment? 919-373-2064
