Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization Lab

Sunrise Children’s Hospital is equipped with a specialized pediatric cardiac catheterization laboratory. Cardiac catheterization is a tool for observing the heart in action. The uses of the cardiac catheterization laboratory have grown tremendously over the last 10 years, especially in treating congenital heart diseases. Today, many repairs once requiring surgery, can now be accomplished in the cath lab. A catheter is a very narrow tube fed into a vein or artery that leads to the heart. Usually the entry site will be in the groin or upper arm area. The catheter is used to deliver different tools directly to the heart. In the cath lab doctors can:

• Closely observe the heart structures
• Measure blood pressure at specific locations in the heart
• Close holes
• Expand narrowed passages
• Open new passages where needed

The pediatric catheterization laboratory at Sunrise Children’s Hospital has the tools, dedicated expertise and integration with other programs necessary to successfully treat a full range of congenital heart problems in children and adults. Some of the procedures that are currently being conducted in our cath labs are:

• Balloon – Valvuloplasty
• Balloon – Angioplasty
• Stent Placement
• Closure of atrial septal defects
• Ventricular septal defects and patent ductus arteriosus
• Biopsies

In addition, Sunrise Children’s Hospital provides pediatric electrophysiology services. The Electrophysiology Service specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of complex heart arrhythmias (heart rhythm irregularities) including device implants such as pacemakers and defibrillators in infants, children and young adults. Electrophysiology services include:

• Pacemaker and defibrillator implants
• Cryoablation – the use of intense cold to destroy the sources of abnormal electrical signals, which can cause the heart to beat irregular
• Radiofrequency ablations – the use of radiofrequency to destroy abnormal electrical signals
• Comprehensive electrophysiological studies

The cath lab staff is highly trained in caring for infants, children, and young adults. We utilize special care in anesthesia during all pediatric procedures.