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The Nicklaus Children\u2019s Hospital Heart Institute team that participated in the Catheter Based Fontan Procedure.<\/p>\n The Nicklaus Children\u2019s Hospital Heart Institute team that participated in the Catheter Based Fontan Procedure.<\/p>\n
The Nicklaus Children\u2019s Hospital Heart Institute has successfully performed one of the first Fontan procedures in the United States utilizing a transcatheter-based approach on a child, marking an important advancement in care for children born with complex congenital heart disease.<\/p>\n
In this novel procedure, the team used a catheter-based approach, rather than open-heart surgery, to guide specialized equipment through a blood vessel to complete the child\u2019s Fontan circulation. The child, a 2-year-old born with double-outlet right ventricle, was recovering well and was expected to go home in a few days.<\/p>\n
For children who are candidates for the catheter-based approach, the procedure offers the advantage of no incisions, a shorter hospital stay and a faster recovery compared with traditional surgery.<\/p>\n
The procedure was led by Dr. Shyam Sathanandam, chief of cardiovascular medicine at Nicklaus Children\u2019s Hospital, co-director of the Nicklaus Children\u2019s Heart Institute and clinical professor at FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, in collaboration with Dr. David Kalfa, chief of cardiovascular surgery and professor and researcher at FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.<\/p>\n
The interventional cardiology team and cardiovascular surgery team came together to carefully plan the procedure in the ongoing effort to offer less invasive approaches to care for children with congenital heart defects.<\/p>\n
The Fontan procedure, which is traditionally the final planned stage in a series of operations for a child born with a single-ventricle heart defect, is designed to reroute the blood flow so that blood returning from the body goes directly to the lungs, without needing to be pumped there by a ventricle. In a single-ventricle heart defect, only one of the heart\u2019s two pumping chambers can effectively support circulation. The Fontan completion directs oxygen-poor blood returning from the lower body to the lungs without first passing through a pumping chamber of the heart. The prior surgeries prepare the heart for the final step.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis achievement reflects an extraordinary level of collaboration and coordination between our surgical and interventional cardiology team,\u201d Dr. Sathanandam said. \u201cIt demonstrates what is possible when clinical expertise, innovation and teamwork come together to expand treatment options for children with the most complex heart conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Nicklaus Children\u2019s Heart Institute provides comprehensive care for infants, children and adults with congenital and acquired heart conditions. Its multidisciplinary specialists offer cardiac imaging, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, cardiovascular surgery, critical care and long-term follow-up, with treatment plans tailored to each patient\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n
The Heart Institute provides access to consultations and follow up care to pediatric cardiac specialists in more than 13 locations spanning Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Martin counties.<\/p>\n
For more information visit nicklauschildrens.org\/Heart<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n ABOUT US:<\/p>\n For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami\u2019s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami\u2019s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area.<\/p>\n This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community.<\/p>\n Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami\u2019s culture. Whether you\u2019re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami\u2019s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https:\/\/communitynewspapers.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you have any questions, feel free to email Michael@communitynewspapers.com<\/a> or Grant@communitynewspapers.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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