Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Program

The Congenital Cardiac Surgery Program at Cincinnati Children’sHospital Medical Center offers a comprehensive approach todiagnosing and treating congenital heart conditions from infancythrough adulthood. As a nationally recognized leader in pediatricand congenital heart surgery, the program sees over 600cardiothoracic surgeries each year, including a significant numberof heart transplants.

World-Class Care

The Heart Surgery Program prides itself on delivering world-classcare by specialized surgeons known for their expertise. The programtreats complex congenital defects and has achieved impressivesurvival rates, outperforming national averages in many categories.For instance, the one-year heart transplant survival rate forpediatric patients is at 95%, and adult congenital heart surgerysurvival rates reach 98%1.

Technological Innovations

The program employs the latest technological advancements insurgical planning, including the utilization of digital tools suchas 3D modeling and virtual reality. These innovations allow forprecise planning of complex repairs and facilitate organ matchingfor transplants9. The Heartpedia app, which offersinteractive heart models, is another example of how the programleverages technology for patient and familyeducation9.

Treatment Approach

Cincinnati Children’s emphasizes a family-centered approach,ensuring that families play an integral role in the care process.This includes collaborative treatment strategies that involveprimary care providers and specialized multidisciplinary teams thatdiscuss patient cases weekly10.

Conditions Treated

The program addresses a wide range of congenital heart conditions,including but not limited to hypoplastic left heart syndrome,transposition of the great arteries, and various valveabnormalities2. A complete list of the conditionstreated is available through the program's resources.

Research and Education

The program is committed to research and education, contributingextensively to the medical literature with over 1,200 publicationsfrom their cardiothoracic surgery faculty. This ongoing researchpaves the way for new treatment protocols and offers advancedclinical trials for eligible patients10.

Patient Support Services

Additional resources such as concierge services, child lifespecialists, and support groups are in place to ensure families arewell-supported throughout the treatment journey. These servicesassist with logistics such as lodging, transport, and coordinationof care8.

International Patient Program

A dedicated international program offers concierge services forout-of-area patients, ensuring that traveling families receivepersonalized support during their treatment process1.

Visa Support and Application Requirements

The program is open to international medical graduates and offersvisa sponsorship for specific visa types as part of their supportfor residency candidates. This initiative aims to attract skilledcandidates from diverse backgrounds to join their cardiothoracicsurgery fellowship. Special application requirements might includea maximum number of failed STEP exams, but these details would needto be confirmed with the program directly as they can varyyearly.1

Research and Collaboration

The Congenital Cardiac Surgery Program collaborates with KentuckyChildren’s Hospital through the Joint Heart Program, allowing for amore comprehensive approach to patient care10. Thispartnership enhances the availability of resources, expertise, andsupport for complex cases.

Follow-up Care

The Heart Surgery Program emphasizes the importance of follow-upcare and provides access to over 25 pediatric and adult congenitalheart clinics for longitudinal health management followingsurgery1.