Pediatric Heart Transplants

New Appointments 312.227.4040 Existing Patients Log into MyChart Request a Second Opinion

Lurie Children’s (Children’s Memorial Hospital at the time) performed Illinois’ first pediatric heart transplant in 1988. Our Pediatric Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation Program, the only program of its kind in the state and a leading transplant program in the country, is widely known for its ability to provide lifesaving treatment to infants, children and young adults with severe heart disease. Currently, our program leads the country in the number of heart transplants in children from January 2024 to date.

Having performed over 400 transplants at our program, and over 25 transplants per year for the past 4 years, our surgeons have vast experience transplanting young patients with a wide array of complex and high-risk conditions. Patients’ heart problems range from those present at birth (congenital) to arrhythmia and cardiomyopathy.

Despite the complexity of our patients’ conditions, our patient outcomes are better than national averages for pediatric transplant centers. Learn more about our patient outcomes here.

Nationally-Ranked Care

Lurie Children's is ranked 24th in the nation for child cardiology and heart surgery by U.S.News & World Report.

Trust Us with Children's Heart Transplants

We provide family-centered care, which means the entire family is involved in the patient’s treatment plan. We use a multidisciplinary team to plan your child’s treatment so that your child gets the most comprehensive care possible, along with many support programs. Our team members are from various healthcare specialties, and they bring a variety of experiences to the table. They will all weigh in on your child’s treatment and use their combined perspectives to create a holistic care plan that focuses on the whole person.

Lurie Children’s pioneers research on how to improve children’s congenital heart disease and cardiomyopathy treatment, while also researching the causes of childhood heart disease. Current studies focus on topics such as improving quality of life after a transplant and reducing the risk of organ rejection. The hospital is a founding member of the Pediatric Heart Transplant Society, a group of hospitals that share a research database dedicated to advancing children’s transplant care.

Care for Families with Cardiomyopathy

The Families with Cardiomyopathy Clinic offers evaluation and treatment for patients with familial cardiomyopathy. In our unique approach, the whole family is seen during the same clinic visit.

Examining cardiomyopathy in parents and children at the same time allows us to develop specialized treatment plans that are customized to your family’s genetic needs. In addition, combining the parents’ cardiac visit with their children’s visit allows for fewer trips to the cardiologist, and fewer missed school and work days. We also offer ongoing treatment, second opinions and genetic evaluation.

The clinic is a collaboration between Lurie Children’s Heart Center and the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Medicine. It is the only clinic of its kind in Illinois.

What to Expect from a Children's Heart Transplant at Lurie Children's

Our heart transplant program offers unique treatments, including:

Heart transplants in nonmatching blood groups (ABO incompatible heart transplants) in infants who are younger than 1 year old
Re-transplant in patients who develop transplant coronary artery disease
Operation on patients with artificial hearts, mechanical heart pumps or other types of mechanical ventilatory support

The program also offers a bridge or long-term option to transplant using a wide range of ventricular assist devices (VADs).

Your child’s first appointment with the heart transplant team may include:

A physical exam and a review of their health history
A psychosocial (mental and emotional health) assessment
Imaging and lab tests as needed
A financial needs assessment

After consulting each other, the team will decide if a heart transplant is suitable for your child. If so, we’ll provide support and education through every step of the transplant process and beyond.

Whether your child is a candidate for a transplant or not, we have the advanced resources needed to care for your child. Our 44-bed Regenstein Cardiac Care Unit provides 24-hour intensive care when needed.

Pediatric Heart Transplant Team

Lurie Children's Heart Transplant team includes experts from various healthcare specialties. Together, they work to create a holistic care plan that focuses on the whole person.

Pediatric Cardiologists