Since its inception in 1988, the Inova Heart Center's pediatric cardiac surgery program at the Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children has cared for children of all ages, including newborn infants with complex and challenging problems that require early, complicated reconstructive surgery.
The center has continued to demonstrate excellent results in terms of mortality and complication rates through the collaborative efforts of a multidisciplinary team. The program is now one of the largest pediatric cardiac surgery programs in the region, with more than 200 cases performed annually.
A team of pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists, neonatologists, pediatric cardiologists, pediatric intensivists, physicians' assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses and social workers work closely with the surgeons to safeguard every phase of a child's surgery and recovery. In fact, each operation will involve at least 30 individuals that work together to assure the optimal outcome with each child, meeting their individual medical and psychosocial needs. In addition, physician's assistants and pediatric residents are available in the hospital 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide continuous care with post-operative cases, intervene in emergency situations, and prepare for emergency surgery when called upon.
The program's expertise centers on:
All pediatric patients who have had cardiac surgery at the Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children are invited to an annual heart surgery picnic so we can enjoy watching the progress being made by our youngest patients!