Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac catheterization (cath) is a minimally-invasive procedure used to diagnose and treat some cardiovascular conditions. During the cath, the physician inserts a thin hollow tube, called a catheter, into an artery or vein in the patient’s groin, neck or arm. The catheter is then threaded through the blood vessels to the patient’s heart.

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In the Children’s Heart Institute cath labs, the cath team performs a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, including:

• Diagnostic procedures: measuring pressure and oxygen levels in the heart, obtaining biopsies and evaluating the structures of the heart.
• Interventional procedures: examples include implanting valves in the heart, placing stents to open narrowed vessels, placing occlusive devices (to treat conditions such as atrial septal defects, ventricular septal defects and patent ductus arteriosus) and opening valves (balloon valvuloplasty) and vessels with angioplasty balloons.
• Electrophysiology procedures, including testing for and treating irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) and placing implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and pacemakers.

The team of affiliated providers perform diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterization for patients of all ages, from premature newborns to adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD), in state-of-the-art cath labs that include a suite for performing hybrid procedures.

Diagnostics and imaging capabilities include echocardiography, intravascular ultrasound, 3-D rotational angiography, and fusion imaging are available to assist precision therapies that are individualized to each patient. Other cutting-edge features like MRI overlay and CT overlay on fluoroscopy, 3D printing and ECHOPIXEL imaging are available in the cath lab suite to guide preprocedural planning.

The multidisciplinary team is trained to treat many cardiac conditions and perform cath procedures, including: 

Conditions

• Atrial septal defect (ASD)
• Ventricle septal defect
• Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
• Coarctation of aorta
• Aortic valve disorders (insufficiency/stenosis)
• Pulmonary valve disorders (insufficiency/stenosis)
• Mitral valve disorders (insufficiency/stenosis)
• Tricuspid valve disorders (insufficiency/stenosis)
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Single-ventricle patients after Norwood, Glenn, and Fontan operations

Therapeutic Procedures

• Balloon valvuloplasty of the mitral, aortic, tricuspid, and pulmonary valves
• Balloon angioplasty of the narrowed blood vessels:
  • Pulmonary arteries
  • Pulmonary veins
  • Coarctation of aorta
  • Systemic veins
  • Systemic arteries
• Stenting of narrowed blood vessels:
  • Pulmonary arteries
  • Pulmonary veins
  • Coarctation of aorta
  • Systemic veins
  • Systemic arteries
• Transcatheter valve replacement in pulmonary, tricuspid, mitral, and aortic positions
• Embolization of arterio-venous malformations (AVM) or collateral blood vessels
• Stenting of patent ductus arteriosus
• Closure of patent ductus arteriosus in premature infants
• Closure of coronary artery fistulas
• Cardiac biopsy
• Creating atrial communications with:
  • Balloon atrial septostomy
  • Atrial septal stenting
• Device closure of defects:
• Atrial septal defects
• Ventricular septal defects
• Patent ductus arteriosus
• Paravalvar leaks

Additionally, the cath team specializes in treating rare, life-threatening health issues that require a high degree of technical expertise. Examples include complex pulmonary vein stenosis, creation of Fontan fenestration, creation of a specialized  shunt in patients with severe pulmonary hypertension, PDA device closure in the extreme premature babies weighing just over one pound (as few as 600 grams), in addition to hybrid procedures.

The affiliated care team from multiple medical specialties partner to create a targeted plan for pediatric patients, focusing on both their cardiac needs and overall well-being.

If you have any questions, use the online tool below to help us connect with you. To refer a patient or schedule an appointment, please contact our clinic using the information below.

• Pediatric Cardiology Clinic
  The University of Texas Health Science Center Professional Building
  6410 Fannin, Suite 370
  Houston, TX 77030
  Phone: (713) 486-6755 (Appointment Line)
   
• Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery Clinic
  The University of Texas Health Science Center Professional Building
  6410 Fannin, Suite 370
  Houston, TX 77030
  Phone: (713) 500-5746
  CMHH-Heart@memorialhermann.org

The Cath Lab is a specialized department of the nationally-ranked Children’s Heart Institute, a collaboration between McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston and Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital.

The Children’s Heart Institute is a collaboration between the affiliated physicians at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston and Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. Typically, patients are seen on an outpatient basis at a UT Physicians clinic with all inpatient procedures performed at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital.