Interventional Cardiology Backed by Innovative Technology

November 16, 2022

The Interventional Cardiology & Catheterization Team at Lurie Children's continues to perform approximately 1,000 cases per year. The team includes the medical staff of Section Head Alan Nugent, MBBS, Paul Tannous, MD, PhD, and Jeremy Fox, MD, along with administration, nurses, imaging specialists and nurse practitioners. This robust program offering advanced, cutting-edge procedures serves as the regional referral source for pediatric cardiologists, primary care physicians and families seeking interventional opinions.

Every possible intervention is performed at Lurie Children's, including but not limited to ASD closure, pulmonary valve replacement, balloon valvuloplasty, balloon/stent dilation, and device closure of defects. The program is at the forefront of interventional techniques. One example, the team was early adopters of extremely low birth weight premature PDA closure and have closed multiple PDA's in infants < 1kg and will participate in the NIH trial of PDA closure in these very small babies.  Another example is the Pulmonary Vein Stenosis Program led by Amanda Hauck, MD and Paul Tannous, MD, PhD. This multidisciplinary program caters to a very small specialized subset of patients who require careful monitoring and numerous procedures.

In 2021 and 2022, the Hybrid and EP Catheterization Suites have been renovated with a state-of-the-art angiographic system. The advanced technology enables precise planning with 3D imaging, including overlay of prior CT and MRI. The goal for all procedures is to minimize the use of radiation and contrast and the new systems with the latest features allow even further reduction in radiation. When possible, interventions are guided by echocardiography and, as an example, the group has published results of echocardiographic guided pulmonary and aortic valve dilation, and we offer 3D intracardiac echocardiography (3D ICE). Collaboration with imaging is with the new Director of Echocardiography of Pei-Ni Jone, MD and Associate Medical Director 3D and procedural echocardiography Sandhya Ramlogan, MD. 

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