The Team
The Single Ventricle Clinic team is made up of a nurse coordinator, two advanced practice providers, and four dedicated cardiologists. Children will typically be seen by the same providers; however, all our providers know all of our patients. Prior to every appointment, our entire team reviews each patient and their care plan to ensure the best possible care is provided. This specialized team partners with:
- Electrophysiology – Patients born with single ventricle physiology are at high risk for developing problems with their heart rhythm. Their heart could either beat too fast or too slow due to missing or faulty anatomy or injury caused during a procedure. Testing such as an EKG, 24-hour Holter monitor, 30-day event monitor, or stress test can be done to diagnose a rhythm issue. The Electrophysiology team may prescribe medications or recommend a pacemaker to regulate your heart rate.
- Adult Congenital Heart Disease – Patients born with a congenital heart defect (CHD) require lifelong, specialized cardiac care and this program’s cardiologists have specific training and experience in caring for adolescents and adults with CHD.
- Nutrition – Good nutrition positively impacts surgical and neurodevelopmental outcomes making it very important for patients with single ventricle heart defects. A registered dietician can determine the number of calories each patient needs and formulate an individualized nutrition plan.
- Hepatology – Due to increasing evidence that liver disease is a common complication of Fontan physiology, the Single Ventricle Clinic team increased the frequency of liver screening including regular blood work, liver ultrasound, and liver biopsy. Here at Lurie Children’s, patients will be screened with blood work and imaging on a regular basis to monitor for concerning changes in liver function.
- Exercise Physiology - Exercise is important for all patients, especially those with CHD. While we want all our patients to exercise, we want to make sure they are doing it in the safest way possible.
While they are not embedded in the clinic, the Single Ventricle of Excellence Team also works closely with specialists in all of the other major pediatric subspecialties that may affect our patients – commonly neurology, psychology, endocrinology, immunology, hematology, nephrology, cardiovascular genetics, and infectious diseases.