Aortic Disease

Expert Care for Aortic Aneurysms and Aortic Dissections in Children

Aortic aneurysms are rare in children. They can be caused by an inherited condition (passed from parent to child), an accident or even an infection, and what causes each one decides what treatment may be necessary. An aortic dissection is life-threatening and requires immediate treatment. Our Nemours Cardiac Center team has the experience and advanced pediatric imaging needed to diagnose and surgically repair aortic disease (from mild to severe), including aortic aneurisms and aortic dissections. If your child has aortic disease, our board-certified, fellowship-trained pediatric cardiologists and heart surgeons are here to answer your questions and provide the latest treatment options.

Learn More About Aortic Aneurysms

Services We Offer for Aortic Aneurysms and Aortic Dissections

The expert teams in our Nemours Cardiac Center locations offer a full range of pediatric heart care for aortic disease. Services vary by specialist and location, but may include:

Cardiac Catheterization. A procedure used to diagnose or treat cardiac problems by inserting a thin plastic, flexible tube (called a “catheter”) into an artery or vein, and threading it through the bloodstream into the heart and its large blood vessels.
Cardiac Diagnostics and Kid-Friendly Imaging. State-of-the-art, noninvasive and minimally invasive tests for kids of all ages, including babies still in the womb.
Cardiology. Your child’s cardiologist will provide long-term treatment including medications, monitoring and preventive care.
Cardiovascular Genetics Counseling. For conditions that are caused, at least in part, by changes in genes.
Heart Surgery. We offer advanced procedures to repair congenital heart defects, performed by board-certified, fellowship-trained cardiothoracic surgeons.

Why Choose Us for Aortic Disease Repair and Care

World-class heart care requires the compassion to understand your family's journey, and the expertise to heal even the most complex conditions. Our cardiac surgeons treat a vast array of congenital heart defects in infants, children and teens, using the most innovative, up-to-date approaches. Our specialty is the early detection and repair of heart problems, so your child will have the best possible chance for a healthy future.

Regional Aortic Disease Highlights

Services, programs, facilities and care teams differ at each location. Call for details.

Delaware Valley/Greater Philadelphia

We offer care for children with aortic disease at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children (Wilmington, Del.) and select Nemours duPont Pediatrics locations.

The Nemours Cardiac Center located at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children is ranked among the best children’s hospitals in the nation for pediatric cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News and World Report.

Central Florida

We offer care for children with aortic disease at Nemours Children’s Hospital (Orlando) and select Nemours Children’s Specialty Care locations.

Our renowned pediatric cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery team at the Nemours Cardiac Center in Central Florida offers inpatient, critical and surgical care at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando — including dedicated cardiac anesthesiologists and state-of-the-art cardiac intensive care unit (CICU).

Northwest Florida

We offer care for children with aortic disease at Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Pensacola and our hospital affiliate, West Florida Healthcare, with outpatient and follow-up appointments also available at select Nemours Children’s Specialty Care locations.

Our Nemours Cardiac Center in Pensacola is home to one of the few accredited pediatric transthoracic and fetal echocardiography labs in Florida and, if needed, can facilitate the transfer of extremely ill children between our Nemours Cardiac Center locations (e.g., to Nemours Children’s Hospital).