Cardiac Anesthesiologists
A critical component to having a superior pediatric cardiology program involves having the right staff with the right training and experience who understand the complexities and nuances of treating the tiny hearts of infants and young children. The Children's Hospital & Medical Center Heart Center employs a team of 12 pediatric anesthesiologists with many years of experience and expertise in the management of congenital heart disease to ensure your child receives the best care possible. Our staff also includes members with additional training and experience in treating children with cardiopulmonary bypass and those with complex congenital heart disease such as single ventricle physiology. The anesthesiology team is available 24 hours to handle medical emergencies and also has special expertise in managing neonatal emergencies such as critical aortic bypass stenosis.
At Children's, anesthesiologists are important members of the cardiology team. Their role includes providing medical evaluation of the patient before surgery, holding consultations with the surgical team, providing pain control and support of life functions during surgery, supervising care after surgery and through discharge. The anesthesiologist also participates in a weekly multidisciplinary cardiology conference which is attended by the cardiologist, cardiothoracic surgeon, nurses, perfusionists, intensivists and any other medical staff involved in your child's care to discuss and develop a coordinated and comprehensive plan of care for each patient. Your child's primary cardiologist from home may also participate via teleconference to provide input and feedback into your child's needs and history. These conferences play an integral role in ensuring your child receives the highest level of care.
Anesthesia is safer today than ever before. Over the past 25 years, complications due to anesthesia have significantly declined and patient outcomes have improved. In the past 10 years, the number of deaths due to anesthesia have dropped from an estimated one in 10,000 to one in 250,000. Children's anesthesiology outcomes mirror this trend. At Children's, we take the utmost care to ensure every child receives the safest and most competent care possible.
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