Research and Innovation at the Cardiac Center
The good news about congenital heart disease (CHD) is that more infants survive to adulthood thanks to the research efforts of physician-scientists at CHOP and around the world.
Even with improved treatments and lifesaving surgeries, though, many people with CHD are not cured. Children and young adults with congenital heart disease face an increased risk of serious health problems, including developmental delays, heart rhythm problems, heart failure, sudden cardiac arrest and stroke.
At the Cardiac Center at CHOP, we continue to research new ways to improve the lifelong health and well-being of children with CHD. The goal of our research and innovation is always to improve patient outcomes today and advance care for the next generation of children born with heart disease.
Some Gene Mutations Cause Heart Defects
Published on Dec 08, 2015 in CHOP News
Some genes cause both heart defects and learning disabilities. This suggests that doctors may be able to identify infant heart patients at higher risk for neurodevelopmental problems.
Determining Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death
Physicians at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia are evaluating exercise stress test protocols for children with congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries in order to determine who is at risk for sudden cardiac death.
Fresh Whole Blood After Heart Surgery
Published on Aug 19, 2015 in CHOP News
Children who have heart surgery are better off receiving fresh whole blood transfusions from a single donor, instead of receiving blood from multiple donors.
Seizures in Newborns
Published on May 06, 2015 in CHOP News
Newborns who have cardiac surgery for heart disease have a significant risk of potentially severe seizures, which may not be apparent in routine bedside clinical assessments. Pediatric researchers who followed current professional guidelines that recommend continuous encephalographic (EEG) monitoring reported that infants who experienced postsurgical seizures had a higher mortality rate than those without seizures.
Better Valves, Better Lives
Philanthropy was instrumental in helping Dr. Levy and his research team at CHOP in their quest for better replacement valves for children with congenital heart disease.
Multidimensional Medicine
Published on Dec 15, 2014 in Children's View
With the help of a 3-D printer, experts at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia are taking cardiac care into the next dimension.
Lower Dose, Safer Patients
Published on Oct 16, 2014 in Cardiac Connection
Physicians at the Cardiac Center at CHOP are providing some innovative answers to how to decrease the amount of medical radiation patients receive during cardiac catheterization without compromising the quality of their care.