Why Lurie Children's is the Right Choice for Your Child's Heart Transplant

Choosing the right hospital for a child’s heart transplant is one of the most significant decisions a family can make. The Heart Center team at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago wants to help make this decision easier. 

Here are some factors to consider, and details about Lurie Children’s comprehensive transplant center. 

Volumes & Outcomes  

Multiple studies have shown that hospitals with higher volumes have better outcomes in part because they have more surgical experience and well-established protocols.

Since 1988, Lurie Children’s medical and surgical teams have performed more than 475 pediatric heart transplants. As the most experienced pediatric heart transplant program in Illinois, the hospital has ranked among the top three in the country by volume since 2018. In 2024, the team performed the second most pediatric heart transplants in the U.S.

Lurie Children’s also has exceptional outcomes. The hospital has the best one-year patient survival rate in the nation, according to the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR). Graft survival and survival on the waitlist are better than expected, even after adjusting for the complexity of the patient population. Specifically, one-year graft survival is 7% higher than expected and 5% higher than the national average.

Furthermore, Lurie Children’s programs in Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery ranked #1 in Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Children’s Hospitals 2024. Lurie Children’s is also recognized as one of the best pediatric heart centers in the country by U.S. News & World Report. 

Specialized Pediatric Cardiac Care  

Children’s hearts are not simply smaller versions of adult hearts. Their unique anatomy and physiology require heart specialists to undergo specialized training in pediatric care. This expertise is especially crucial in pediatric heart transplantation, where children face a higher risk of organ rejection than adults. Finding a properly sized donor heart presents additional challenges.

Lurie Children’s has a dedicated pediatric heart transplant program with a team of over 40 experienced transplant surgeons, cardiologists and support staff with specialized education or training in working with children. 

Unlike most other heart transplant hospitals, Lurie Children’s offers complex treatments including transplanting highly sensitized patients, patients with complex congenital heart defects and children with multi-organ failure or comorbidities. Our team also offers re-transplant in patients who develop transplant coronary artery disease and operations on patients with artificial hearts or other types of mechanical support. 

The team oversees one of the busiest ventricular assist device (VAD) programs in the world, offering a bridge or long-term option to transplant. Lurie Children’s VAD experts have implanted more than 120 patients since 1995 and have been able to send patients home and to school on VAD support. Learn more about the VAD Program. 

For critically ill children, Lurie Children’s experts in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, have been providing support for patients with heart and lung failure since 1986.

Finally, Lurie Children’s Heart Center has streamlined a process for obtaining second opinions for both providers and for patients. The Priority Second Opinion Program provides expert guidance in a single, well-coordinated visit. With timely scheduling, a hospital introduction and expert recommendations, we help families better understand a child’s condition and choose the best medical or surgical plan.

Post-Transplant Care & Long-Term Follow-Up  

Having a heart transplant will require ongoing monitoring to ensure the heart functions as the child grows. A hospital like Lurie Children’s with a strong post-transplant program can help ensure the best quality of life and long-term survival for patients.  

Lurie Children’s cardiologists and support staff monitor heart transplant patients through adulthood. Providers and staff are experienced in managing all aspects of post-transplant care, including immunosuppressive therapies, infection prevention and quality of life support. 

Furthermore, Lurie Children’s NICU-Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Program provides neurodevelopmental care for infants through young adults, including academic support for school-aged children who have congenital heart disease. If a child must stay in the hospital for a long period of time, the collaborative team offers extensive psychosocial support such as physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy. 

Location & Logistics   

Heart transplant surgery takes place at Lurie Children’s Main Campus in downtown Chicago. Lurie Children’s Heart Center provides parking and transportation assistance for families with children who have complex conditions.

For lodging, Ronald McDonald House near Lurie Children’s is located at 211 E. Grand Avenue, a short walk south from the hospital. Call Family Services at 312.227.1200 to learn more. 

Follow-up care for heart transplantation is provided not just downtown, but at convenient locations throughout suburban Chicago. 

For families coming from out of state or another country, Lurie Children’s Destination Services and International Patient Services Programs can help make the experience of coming to Lurie Children’s go as smoothly as possible.

Patient & Family Support   

Lurie Children’s providers, therapists, nurses and staff work closely together and with families in decision-making and treatment planning, honoring cultural backgrounds and beliefs. The team prioritizes clear, honest and timely communication. 

Furthermore, a wide range of support services is available for patients and their families, including social workers, chaplains and a child life specialist dedicated to Lurie Children’s patients on the Regenstein Cardiac Care Unit. Child life specialists are certified clinicians who are trained to work with children to provide age-appropriate education, support and therapeutic play. Lurie Children’s also has full-time music and art therapists who support inpatients from diagnosis through discharge. Furthermore, our physicians have been known to dress in costumes to surprise children with news of an organ being available, highlighting the close personal relationships providers build with patient families.

Lurie Children’s has been a destination for pediatric heart center care for more than 140 years, driven by the health and wellbeing of all children and their families. For more information about the Heart Center or to make an appointment, go to LurieChildrens.org/HeartCenter. 

Listen to Precision podcast episode on Lurie Children’s expertise in pediatric heart transplants.