Meryl S. Cohen, MD

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Meryl S. Cohen, MD, is a board-certified cardiologist in the Cardiac Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia with expertise in fetal and transesophageal echocardiography.    

Areas of Expertise: Fetal echocardiography, Transesophageal echocardiography
Locations: Main Hospital

Phone: 215-590-4040

Background

Meryl S. Cohen, MD, is a board-certified pediatric cardiologist in the Cardiac Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) with expertise in fetal, transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. In addition to her clinical work, she serves as the director of the CHOP Cardiology Fellowship Training program and is an Associate Chief of the Division of Cardiology.

Dr. Cohen’s career in pediatric cardiology grew from a deep interest in the anatomy and physiology of the heart, combined with a passion for taking care of children. According to Cohen, openness and honesty play a large part in her approach. "I try to make sure my patients have a complete understanding of their disease. It’s very important they know what to expect in both the near and distant future."

Communication is also an important part of how she works with the team at the CHOP Cardiac Center to diagnose and treat patients with complex forms of congenital heart disease. "I enjoy figuring out the puzzle of their disease and working collaboratively with my colleagues on ways to provide the best possible care. Teaching and mentoring are primary roles as well. Helping to foster the careers of young trainees is essential to our mission."

As a researcher, Dr. Cohen focuses on understanding growth in children with congenital heart disease. "In particular," she says, "I am working on the risk, timing and cause of obesity in children with heart disease, and how to prevent it. I also use echocardiography (a form of cardiac ultrasound) as a tool to predict outcomes for various forms of congenital heart disease."

Education and Training

Medical School

MD - State University of New York at Stony Brook

Internship

Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY

Residency

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Board Certification

American Board of Pediatrics
American Board of Pediatrics/Pediatric Cardiology

Titles and Academic Titles

Attending Cardiologist

Director, Cardiology Fellowship Training Program

Director, Echocardiography Laboratory

Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Departments and Services

Research Interests

Impact of obesity in children with heart disease
Peripheral vascular function

Publications

Papers

Pasquali SK, Marino BS, Powell DJ, McBride MG, Paridon SM, Meyers KE, Mohler ER, Walker SA, Kren S, Cohen MS. Following the arterial switch operation, obese children have risk factors for early cardiovascular disease. Congenit Heart Dis. 2010 Jan;5(1):16-24.

Nicolson SC, Montenegro LM, Cohen MS, O'Neill D, Calfin D, Jones LA, Jobes DR. A comparison of the efficacy and safety of chloral hydrate versus inhaled anesthesia for sedating infants and toddlers for transthoracic echocardiograms. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2010 Jan;23(1):38-42.

Thacker D, Gruber PJ, Weinberg PM, Cohen MS. Heterotaxy syndrome with mirror image anomalies in identical twins. Congenit Heart Dis. 2009 Jan;4(1):50-3.

Pasquali SK, Marino BS, Kaltman JR, Schissler AJ, Wernovsky G, Cohen MS, Spray TL, Tanel RE.   Rhythm and conduction disturbances at midterm follow-up after the Ross procedure in infants, children, and young adults. Ann Thorac Surg. 2008 Jun;85(6):2072-8.

Khan AR, Birbach M, Cohen MS, Ittenbach RF, Spray TL, Levy RJ, Gaynor JW.    Chronic hypoxemia increases ventricular brain natriuretic peptide precursors in neonatal swine. Ann Thorac Surg. 2008 Feb;85(2):618-23. PMID: 18222277.

Marino BS, Pasquali SK, Wernovsky G, Rychik J, Montenegro L, Shera D, Spray TL, Cohen MS, Pudusseri A.  Accuracy of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography in the prediction of future neo-aortic valve function after the Ross procedure in children and young adults. Congenit Heart Dis. 2008 Jan;3(1):39-46.

Pinto NM, Marino BS, Wernovsky G, de Ferranti SD, Walsh AZ, Laronde M, Hyland K, Dunn SO Jr, Cohen MS.   Obesity is a common comorbidity in children with congenital and acquired heart disease. Pediatrics. 2007 Nov;120(5):e1157-64. PMID: 17974711.

Cohen MS, Getz AE, Isaacson G, Gaughan J, Szeremeta W. Intracapsular vs. extracapsular tonsillectomy: a comparison of pain. Laryngoscope. 2007 Oct;117(10):1855-8.

Cohen MS, Jacobs JP, Quintessenza JA, Chai PJ, Lindberg HL, Dickey J, Ungerleider RM.  Mentorship, learning curves, and balance. Cardiol Young. 2007 Sep;17 Suppl 2:164-74. Review.

Cohen MS, Anderson RH, Cohen MI, Atz AM, Fogel M, Gruber PJ, Lopez L, Rome JJ, Weinberg PM.    Controversies, genetics, diagnostic assessment, and outcomes relating to the heterotaxy syndrome. Cardiol Young. 2007 Sep;17 Suppl 2:29-43. Review.

Pasquali SK, Shera D, Wernovsky G, Cohen MS, Tabbutt S, Nicolson S, Spray TL, Marino BS.    Midterm outcomes and predictors of reintervention after the Ross procedure in infants, children, and young adults. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2007 Apr;133(4):893-9.