Overview of Pediatric Heart Transplant Program

Decades of experience in mending children's hearts stands behind our heart transplant program. Children's Hospital of Wisconsin is one of the country's top pediatric cardiothoracic surgery centers with more than 725 cases per year.

Our surgical programs have consistently demonstrated one of the lowest mortality rates in the country for children with complex congenital heart disease and have been leading the world in staged repair strategies for hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

The Heart Transplant Program at Children's Hospital draws on this wealth of knowledge and experience. Children's Hospital of Wisconsin was ranked as the fourth busiest hospital in the nation for pediatric heart transplantations (UNOS 2006). Over the past few years, our pediatric heart transplant program has seen rapid growth in volume with tremendous success. Since Jan 2004, the pediatric heart transplant program has:

• Performed 32 cardiac transplants with 95 percent overall survival.
• Performed five ABO incompatible transplants.
• Bridged eight recipients to transplant with use of the Berlin Heart ventricular assist device.
• Performed one multi-organ and one cardiac retransplant.
• Pioneered the use of the Virtual Crossmatch to decrease wait times in highly sensitized patients.
• Developed a comprehensive program in pediatric heart failure.

A team of pediatric cardiology and transplant experts

Everyone involved in the care of transplant patients, from pharmacy to consultants, is experienced in managing complex heart cases. This experienced team approach optimizes outcomes. The heart transplant team members include specialists in:

• Cardiothoracic Surgeons.
• Cardiology.
• Critical Care Intensivists.
• Infectious Disease.
• Pathology.
• Immunology.
• Anesthesiology.
• Pulmonary Medicine.
• Nephrology.
• Pharmacy.
• Dialysis.
• Nursing.
• Child Life specialists.
• Psychology.
• Social Work.

The team is dedicated to ensuring open lines of communication as well as consistent and compassionate care. Referring physicians and family members have easy access to the entire transplant team.

Surgeons affiliated with the Medical College of Wisconsin collaborate closely on treatment and follow-up with Infectious Disease and the Herma Heart Center playing major roles. Herma Heart Center's eight board-certified pediatric cardiologists have more experience with congenital heart defects and heart disease in children than any other pediatric group in the region.