Texas Children’s Heart Center ranked No. 1 by U.S. News & World Report
In June 2017, U.S. News & World Report announced that Texas Children’s is ranked No. 1 in cardiology and heart surgery, an accomplishment built on a rich history of expert and innovative pediatric heart care, exceptional leadership and focus on patients. Texas Children’s Hospital started performing heart surgery on children in 1956, under the direction of Drs. Denton Cooley and Dan McNamara. Cooley, a pioneer heart surgeon, and McNamara, a patriarch of pediatric cardiology, were among the first to demonstrate that small children could safely undergo heart surgery.
Since then, Texas Children's Heart Center has continued to grow, push boundaries and become a highly sought after and respected center of excellence. Much as it was in the beginning, the Heart Center today is led and staffed by world-renowned pediatric cardiologists and surgeons: Interim Chief of Congenital Heart Surgery Dr. Jeffrey Heinle, Chief of Cardiology Dr. Daniel Penny, Chief of Cardiovascular Anesthesia Dr. Emad Mossad, Chief of Critical Care Dr. Lara Shekerdemian and Anesthesiologist-In-Chief Dr. Dean Andropoulos.
The Heart Center is dedicated to developing innovative cardiac interventions and surgical treatment options for thousands of children with heart defects who seek our care annually.
“This ranking is a culmination of the many years our Heart Center team has dedicated to providing high-quality care to our patients,” said Penny. “It also means we have an even greater role in shaping the field of pediatric cardiology and heart surgery.”
The Heart Center’s surgical team performed more than 1,000 open-heart surgeries and 28 heart transplants in 2017.
The Heart Center’s cardiologists annually perform around 1,200 cardiac catheterizations, a less invasive treatment made possible by the threading of a long, flexible tube from a blood vessel in the leg to the heart. Most of these cases would have required open-heart surgery 20 years ago.
The cardiology team also performs about 250 catheter-enabled ablation treatments in children with irregular heartbeats, a procedure that cauterizes the abnormal pathway to correct the problems. Such patients previously required lifelong medication.
Heinle said the Heart Center will continue to grow and that he is excited about its next step, which will be to move into Legacy Tower once it’s complete. The state-of-the-art facility will house high-tech operating rooms, an expanded Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, neuro ICU rooms, surgical ICU rooms, a progressive care unit and eight floors dedicated to the Heart Center, including four new cardiac operating rooms, four cardiac catheterization labs, 48 cardiovascular intensive care unit beds and a cardiac acute care floor.
Heinle said the approach to surgery and surgical outcomes implemented by outgoing chief Dr. Charles D. Fraser will remain and that the Heart Center will continue to grow and provide first-rate, family-centered care for patients.