?U n i v e r s i t y o f M i n n e s o t a a M p l a t z C h i l d r e n ? s h o s p i t a l

The Heart Center Update

Published quarterly for health care professionals ? Estimated Read Time: 7 minutes

Pediatric heart failure and transplants at University of Minnesota Amplatz Children?s Hospital

In 1981, University of Minnesota Amplatz Children?s Hospital began its pediatric heart failure and heart transplant program. Since then, more than 60 children have received heart transplants. We?ve successfully transplanted several very high-risk patients, including patients declined by other major transplant centers. Such patients often have pulmonary hypertension or advanced heart failure from congenital heart disease. We also have a significant volume of adult patients with congenital heart disease who are now in need of a transplant. Our pediatric heart transplant team works closely with our Adult Congenital Heart Disease and Cardiovascular Genetics Program to manage these complex patients and support them through the transplant process. Our program?s longest survivor received his heart in 1986, which is the longest survival rate on record for a pediatric heart transplant patient in the U.S. Even though our transplant program has proven success and survival rates equivalent to the national average, our goal is to optimize the health of children and allow them to keep their own hearts as long as possible. Continues on page 3 >>

uofmchildrenshospital.org

Young at Heart

Two sisters?same heart defect

August 2009 Vol. 2, issue 3 May 2008 ? Mark and Lori waited at University of Minnesota Amplatz Children?s Hospital while their 23-month-old daughter, Josie, had surgery to repair her atrial septal defects (ASD). In April 2009, they found themselves once again sitting in the same waiting room while their second child, Jenna, had her ASD repaired. At Josie?s 9-month well baby appointment, her pediatrician detected a murmur and referred her to University of Minnesota Amplatz Children?s Hospital. There, interventional cardiologist, Daniel Gruenstein, M.D., found that Josie had three ASDs - sized 12, 6 and 1 millimeter. In May 2008, Josie had them repaired in the hospital?s pediatric cardiology hybrid suite. Gruenstein was able to patch all three ASDs using a single 35 millimeter Amplatzer® Cribiform Septal Occluder inserted through percutaneous arterial access. Four hours after the procedure, Josie was up and walking. By the next morning, she was acting like her normal self and was discharged home. In August 2008, Josie?s 6-month-old sister, Jenna, also was diagnosed with an ASD. Because she wasn?t growing as expected and had pneumonia twice, her doctors and parents decided to proceed with a closure. Lori says that while it was disappointing to learn they?d be dealing with another ASD repair, she was glad that Gruenstein was available. Continues on page 2 >> lori and Mark, with their daughters, Jenna and Josie.

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