If your child needs heart surgery, expert care is available right here in West Central Florida. At the Patel Children’s Heart Institute—one of our premier centers at BayCare St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital—we treat heart conditions from before birth through adulthood.
Pediatric cardiothoracic surgeons work with a skilled team of pediatric cardiologists, anesthesiologists, nurses and others to plan and perform your child’s surgery. Together, we deliver outcomes that exceed national averages, as published by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
In some cases, your child may need surgery, an interventional cardiology procedure or both. We have advanced expertise in both and work with you to help you decide what’s right for your child now and in the future. You’ll also find many support services available so that you can focus on your child’s health and healing.
Congenital heart surgery treats heart conditions that develop before a baby is born. These conditions can affect the heart’s chambers, valves and blood vessels around the heart. Some children need surgery shortly after birth. Others may require treatment later in childhood or adulthood.
Our surgeons perform a wide range of procedures, including:
We also treat many other congenital heart conditions, such as:
Although congenital heart surgery is complex, our approach to care is designed to feel manageable for your family. Our entire BayCare Kids team is committed to guiding you through every step of the process.
As soon as we make a diagnosis—even if it's before birth—we help you understand your child’s options and work with you to decide the best treatment plan. We explain the procedure, discuss recovery and take time to answer all your questions.
We provide detailed instructions about what to bring to the hospital and guidance about food, liquids and medications. If your child is old enough, we encourage you to talk with them ahead of time using simple, reassuring language they can understand. Child Life Specialists are available to help you find the right words and prepare you and your child for surgery.
Your child will be asleep during surgery and won't feel pain. Our pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists manage anesthesia and pain management for children who have congenital heart conditions. Their training is highly specialized and includes both pediatrics and cardiology.
Most congenital heart surgeries are performed through an incision in the center of the chest. A special heart-lung machine temporarily reroutes blood flow, so the surgeon can safely operate on the heart.
In some cases, minimally invasive heart surgery may be an option. This approach uses small incisions between the ribs and may support faster healing and recovery.
Most children are cared for in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) after surgery. Team members in these units provide close, around-the-clock monitoring. Seeing your child in intensive care can feel overwhelming, but your presence can be comforting and reassuring for them.
Children typically stay in the NICU or PICU for a short time before moving to a regular hospital room. Your child may stay in the hospital for up to a week or longer. As you prepare to take your child home, we provide instructions for recovery and resuming activities. We schedule follow-up appointments for you with the surgical team to monitor healing and progress.
Following surgery, your child will usually see a pediatric cardiologist for ongoing care and monitoring. BayCare Kids offers pediatric cardiology care at locations across the region.
As your child grows older, we help guide a smooth transition to our Adult Congenital Heart Program. Our cardiothoracic surgeons are part of the adult program and remain involved in your child’s care as needed.
We provide detailed instructions about what to bring to the hospital and guidance about food, liquids and medications. If your child is old enough, we encourage you to talk with them ahead of time using simple, reassuring language they can understand. Child Life Specialists are available to help you find the right words and prepare you and your child for surgery.
Your child will be asleep during surgery and won't feel pain. Our pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists manage anesthesia and pain management for children who have congenital heart conditions. Their training is highly specialized and includes both pediatrics and cardiology.
Most congenital heart surgeries are performed through an incision in the center of the chest. A special heart-lung machine temporarily reroutes blood flow, so the surgeon can safely operate on the heart.
In some cases, minimally invasive heart surgery may be an option. This approach uses small incisions between the ribs and may support faster healing and recovery.
Most children are cared for in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) after surgery. Team members in these units provide close, around-the-clock monitoring. Seeing your child in intensive care can feel overwhelming, but your presence can be comforting and reassuring for them.
Children typically stay in the NICU or PICU for a short time before moving to a regular hospital room. Your child may stay in the hospital for up to a week or longer. As you prepare to take your child home, we provide instructions for recovery and resuming activities. We schedule follow-up appointments for you with the surgical team to monitor healing and progress.
Following surgery, your child will usually see a pediatric cardiologist for ongoing care and monitoring. BayCare Kids offers pediatric cardiology care at locations across the region.
As your child grows older, we help guide a smooth transition to our Adult Congenital Heart Program. Our cardiothoracic surgeons are part of the adult program and remain involved in your child’s care as needed.
Our pediatric cardiothoracic surgeons and pediatric cardiac intensivists are fellowship trained and board certified. They bring their exceptional expertise and compassion to every case to achieve the best possible results for your child.
Our program partners with UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, one of the top-ranked congenital heart programs in the country. UPMC surgeons live locally and work exclusively for BayCare, providing consultations and performing surgery. This collaboration helps us deliver world-class care, close to home.
For more information about our pediatric heart services or to make an appointment with one of our specialists, call the Kids Heart Hotline at (813) 644-6679.
