About Us
The Emory/CHOA Congenital Cardiac Program provides comprehensive diagnostic, management, and surgical care to patients with congenital heart defects. From the anesthesiology perspective, we provide care to children undergoing the full spectrum of surgical procedures to palliate or correct congenital heart defects as well as to children undergoing heart transplants. We also provide anesthetic care to children undergoing diagnostic, interventional, and electrophysiologic studies in the cath lab and to cardiac patients undergoing diagnostic radiologic or noncardiac surgical procedures.
Our faculty participate in about 800 cardiac surgical procedures each year, two-thirds of which require CPB and 60% of which are done on patients less than one year of age. The team also participates in about 1200 cath lab procedures, and 200 cardiac MRI/CT scans each year.
Clinical research efforts focus on the coagulation system of infants and young children and the changes in the coagulation system of these children as a result of their congenital heart defect or as a consequence of exposure to cardiopulmonary bypass. Studies of the use of regional blocks for perioperative pain management in children undergoing thoracotomies and evaluations of quality improvement projects are also being undertaken.
Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology Fellowship
A 12-month advanced pediatric cardiac anesthesiology fellowship is sponsored at Emory. The fellowship is available to applicants having completed a fellowship in either pediatric or cardiac anesthesiology. Our fellows work one-on-one with an attending cardiac anesthesiologist and participate in all aspects of anesthetic care including:
- Preoperative evaluation
- Formulation of anesthetic plans
- Placement of invasive monitoring lines
- Intraoperative management of anesthetic
- CPB
- Hemodynamic monitoring and inotrope management
- Coagulation issues
The fellows also spend time on CICU, echocardiography, and perfusion rotations to gain experience in these areas of the congenital cardiac program. Fellows participate in a didactic program covering relevant cardiac anesthesiology topics throughout the year and attend weekly patient management conferences and monthly M&M conferences discussing issues related to patient care. Participation in ongoing clinical research efforts is strongly encouraged with mentoring by designated practitioners.
Upon successful completion of the fellowship, one will have acquired significant exposure to all aspects of congenital heart disease and should be able to competently manage patients undergoing procedures to deal with congenital heart defects.
The program is based at Egleston Hospital at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
