Congenital Heart Defects

Recognized Care for Treating Heart Defects in Children

Our Nemours Cardiac Center has the experience and advanced pediatric imaging needed to diagnose some heart defects even while babies are still growing in the womb. Our pediatric cardiologists and heart surgeons can answer your questions, address your concerns and provide the latest treatment options — including heart transplants. We’re here to give our patients advanced care in a family setting.

Congenital (present at birth) heart defects means a baby is born with at least one heart problem. Also called “congenital heart disease,” some defects aren’t serious and just need to be managed by a child’s doctor. Others are critical and require treatment as soon as a baby is born.

Learn More About Congenital Heart Defects

Congenital Heart Defects We Treat

• anomalous coronary artery
• anomalous origin of the pulmonary artery
• aortic disease
• aortic stenosis
• aortopulmonary (AP) window
• atrial septal defect (ASD)
• atrioventricular canal defect
• cardiomyopathy
• coarctation of the aorta
• congenital mitral valve disease
• congenital sinus of Valsalva aneurysm
• cor triatriatum
• double outlet right ventricle (DORV)
• Ebstein's anomaly
• heart arrhythmias
• heart failure
• heart murmurs
• heterotaxy syndrome
• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol and triglycerides
• hypoplastic left heart syndrome
• interrupted aortic arch
• levo-transposition of the great arteries
• myocarditis
• partially anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR)
• patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
• pulmonary artery sling
• pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA/IVS)
• pulmonary embolism
• pulmonary hypertension
• pulmonary stenosis
• pulmonary valve regurgitation
• tetralogy of Fallot
• total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR)
• transposition of the great arteries
• tricuspid atresia
• truncus arteriosus
• unroofed coronary sinus syndrome
• vascular ring anomaly
• ventricular septal defect (VSD)

Services We Offer to Treat Heart Defects

The expert teams in our Nemours Cardiac Center locations offer a full range of pediatric heart care. 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.
• Heart Transplants (available in the Delaware Valley only)
• Preventive Cardiology. Evaluation and guidance for kids with conditions that could put them at risk for future heart problems (such as obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and coronary artery disease)

Why Choose Us for Pediatric Heart 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 pediatric heart surgeons and cardiologists treat a vast array of congenital heart defects in infants, children and teens. We offer the most advanced approaches — including heart transplants. Our specialty is the early detection and repair of heart problems, so your child will have the best possible chance for a healthy future.

Delaware Valley/Greater Philadelphia

We offer care for children with congenital heart defects at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware (Wilmington, Del.) and select Nemours Children's Health locations.

• The Nemours Cardiac Center at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware offers the complete range of pediatric cardiology and heart surgery services.

Central Florida

We offer care for children with congenital heart defects at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida (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 congenital heart defects at Nemours Children’s Health, 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, Florida.