Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery

What Is Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery? What Conditions Does It Treat?

Pediatric cardiovascular surgery is a branch of medicine that deals with the surgical treatment of congenital or acquired diseases affecting the heart and vascular system in infants, children, and adolescents. In this department, structural disorders, circulatory problems, and vascular diseases caused by heart conditions seen in children are treated with surgical methods.

Daviva Health Group Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery Department; with an experienced surgical team, advanced technological infrastructure, and a multidisciplinary approach, it comprehensively plans the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up processes of heart and vascular diseases seen in children.

What Is the Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery Department?

In the Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Department, surgical treatment is provided for congenital and acquired heart diseases seen in newborns, infants, children, and adolescents.

Today, most congenital heart diseases can be successfully controlled with early diagnosis and proper treatment. Early identification of the heart defect, treatment by experienced specialists with surgical or interventional methods, and regular follow-up are extremely important.

The Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery department works together with many branches such as pediatric cardiology, neonatology, pediatrics, pediatric surgery, anesthesia, and intensive care. Especially in serious heart diseases, psychological support for families and children is also an important part of the treatment process.

Which Diseases Does the Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery Department Treat?

Pediatric cardiac surgery deals with the treatment of congenital heart diseases or acquired heart diseases. The most common diseases are as follows:

Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) | The Most Common Heart Hole in Children

In VSD, there is one or more holes in the ventricular septum, the wall separating the patients' pulmonary and systemic ventricles. This defect initially creates a "left-to-right shunt" in the heart. This means that due to the higher blood pressure in the left ventricle, blood is mistakenly pumped into the right ventricle and therefore goes to the lungs instead of being pumped into the systemic circulation. This leads to an increased workload for the right ventricle, which must pump a larger-than-normal volume of blood, and increased blood flow to the lungs.

Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) | A Hole Between the Atria in Children

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is one of the most common congenital heart diseases. This condition consists of an unclosed hole between the heart's two atria. Since the pressure in the left heart (left atrium and ventricle) is significantly higher than the pressure in the right heart (the right atrium and ventricle provide pulmonary circulation) (systemic circulation), an atrial septal defect can lead to significant volume overload in the right heart.

Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) | An Open Vessel Problem in Babies

Patent ductus arteriosus is a vascular connection found in the fetal circulatory system that normally closes in the first few days of life and becomes a band called the ligamentum arteriosum. If this closure does not occur, it is called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).

Tetralogy of Fallot | A Congenital Heart Disease with Cyanosis

Tetralogy of Fallot is characterized by a complex in which four symptoms are seen together. The combined symptoms include narrowing of the vessels leaving the right ventricle, the vessels going to the lungs, and a hole in the interventricular septum; this causes oxygen-poor and oxygen-rich blood to mix incorrectly.

Aortic Coarctation | Narrowing of the Aorta in Children

Aortic coarctation occurs as a result of further narrowing of a naturally narrow section of the aorta. This aortic malformation is congenital. Depending on the severity of the narrowing, it causes various symptoms.

Truncus Arteriosus | A Heart Defect with a Single Great Vessel

Truncus arteriosus is a birth defect in which there is a single large blood vessel (truncus) instead of the pulmonary artery and aorta in the heart. The pulmonary artery branches directly from the truncus, and a ventricular septal defect is always present. Deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart and oxygenated blood from the left side mix and enter this large blood vessel (truncus arteriosus), and this mixture then flows to the body and the lungs.

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) | A Serious Congenital Heart Disease

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is characterized by a range of symptoms such as narrowing of the left ventricular heart valves, marked hypoplasia (underdevelopment) of the left ventricle, and hypoplasia of the major blood vessels connected to the heart (the aorta, etc.).

Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA) | Switching of the Great Vessels

Transposition of the great arteries (TGA) is a congenital heart defect in which the aorta and pulmonary artery originate in reverse order from the heart's two ventricles. Normally, the aorta arises from the left ventricle, and the pulmonary artery arises from the right ventricle.

In TGA, however, the situation is the opposite; the aorta arises from the right ventricle, and the pulmonary artery arises from the left ventricle. This causes deoxygenated blood flowing from the body to the right ventricle to be pumped back directly to the body without being oxygenated. Conversely, oxygenated blood flowing from the lungs to the left ventricle is also pumped directly back to the lungs.

What Are the Symptoms of Heart and Vascular Diseases in Children?

One of the main areas of pediatric cardiac surgery is the treatment of congenital heart diseases. These diseases are a group of conditions present at birth and even before birth, during fetal life, and resulting from incomplete or abnormal development of the heart during pregnancy.

Symptoms in cardiovascular diseases depend on the disease and the child's age.

The following symptoms indicate heart disease in children

• Bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes (cyanosis)
• Palpitations, rapid heartbeat
• Difficulty breathing and rapid breathing
• Dizziness, fainting
• Growth retardation
• Restlessness
• Edema
• Heart murmurs: Abnormal blood flow sounds originating from the heart or heart valve sounds.

What Are the Symptoms of Congenital Heart Disease in Babies?

Congenital heart diseases may cause symptoms starting in infancy. In particular, symptoms such as cyanosis, shortness of breath, poor feeding, failure to gain weight, frequent fatigue, and palpitations should be evaluated early. Treatment success may be higher in baby heart diseases diagnosed early.

What Are the Diagnostic Methods in Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery?

Heart conditions seen in children are treated in pediatric cardiology and pediatric cardiac surgery departments. These conditions are primarily congenital heart diseases. These diseases usually occur before birth due to a developmental abnormality of the heart. Treatment depends on the severity and nature of the condition, so accurate diagnosis is very important. The diagnostic methods used in pediatric heart diseases are as follows:

Echocardiography (ECHO) | Heart Ultrasound in Children

Using ultrasound waves, the heart chambers, valves, and heart muscle are visualized through the chest and the function of the heart is evaluated. Echocardiography is a valuable and completely safe examination. Three-dimensional assessments are performed routinely.

Electrocardiography (ECG) | Heart Rhythm Measurement in Children

ECG is the recording and monitoring of the electrical activity of the heart muscle fibers. It allows various conditions such as arrhythmias, heart attack, ventricular enlargement, and myocarditis to be detected in children within minutes, painlessly and harmlessly.

Cardiac MRI and CT | Advanced Heart Imaging Methods in Children

Imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used to examine the heart in detail and diagnose heart defects.

Cardiac Catheterization | Interventional Heart Diagnosis in Children

Cardiac catheterization is an interventional method that enables visualization of heart diseases and anomalies. A thin plastic tube called a catheter is advanced into the atria or ventricles of the heart. By injecting contrast material, the heart chambers and vessels are imaged using X-rays. The measured values are necessary to calculate the function and performance of the heart and circulatory system. The distribution of the contrast material within the heart and adjacent vessels then allows an anatomical diagnosis. Cardiac catheterization is also used to obtain heart muscle samples necessary for diagnosing myocarditis or other heart muscle diseases.

Angiography | Vessel Imaging and Stent Placement in Children

Angiography is an invasive procedure used to image blood vessels. Angiography can detect narrowing (stenosis) in blood vessels. It can also be used to examine the vessels feeding tumors. Under certain conditions, after angiography, a procedure called PTA (percutaneous transluminal angioplasty), which involves widening the narrowing with a balloon, may be performed. In some cases, it is also possible to place a stent (vascular support) in the vessel to keep it open.

What Are the Treatment Methods in Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery?

Pediatric cardiac surgery undertakes the surgical treatment of all types of heart disease in children. While some heart anomalies can be stabilized with medication, others require surgical intervention with long-term follow-up. If corrective heart surgery is necessary, the surgery is planned according to the type of anomaly, the child's age and weight, and the severity of the symptoms. In some cases, it is performed immediately after the baby's birth; in others, it is planned weeks, months, or even years later.

• Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery | Heart Surgery Through a Small Incision in Children

Minimally invasive heart surgery uses special techniques to perform heart surgeries with the smallest possible incisions. This surgery provides less trauma, faster recovery, and more aesthetic results.

• Heart Valve Surgery | Treatment of Valve Diseases in Children

Heart valve surgery is performed to correct problems such as congenital or acquired valve stenosis and valve insufficiency.

• Ventricular Assist Therapy | Heart Failure Support in Children

It is a mechanical circulatory support device that helps the heart pump blood in patients with advanced heart failure.

• Aortic Surgery | Treatment of Great Vessel Diseases in Children

Aortic disease occurs due to enlargement or narrowing of the aorta and congenital anomalies of the aorta. Aortic surgery is performed to treat various conditions that cause aortic disease

• Aortic Root Surgery | Advanced Heart Surgery in Children

Aortic root surgery is preferred in the treatment of disorders of the aortic valve and the initial part of the aorta.

• Reconstructive Valve Surgery | Repairing Heart Valves in Children

Reconstructive valve surgery is one of the advanced surgical methods aimed at repairing damaged heart valves without replacing them.

• Implantable Defibrillator Placement | Devices Regulating Heart Rhythm in Children

An implantable defibrillator is a device that can continuously monitor the electrical activity of the heart and intervene in case of dangerous heart rhythm disorders.

When Should You Consult the Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery Department?

The pediatric cardiovascular surgery department should be consulted in the following cases:

Suspected Heart Disease in the Newborn Period

Evaluation should be performed when congenital heart anomalies that may require early intervention are detected in the first few days of life.

If the Child Has Shortness of Breath, Cyanosis, and a Heart Murmur

Pediatric cardiovascular surgery should be consulted when the pediatrician diagnoses suspected breathing difficulty (shortness of breath and fatigue), cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the skin), a heart murmur, or other signs of heart disease in the child.

When Regular Follow-Up Is Needed in Chronic Heart Diseases

Children with chronic heart conditions require regular check-ups and follow-up after any treatment or surgical procedure. This test allows heart function to be evaluated over time.

If There Is a Family History of Hereditary Heart Disease

If there is a history of congenital or hereditary heart disease in the family, it is important for children to be evaluated early.