Levine Children's Hospital offers complete clinical services for the diagnosis and treatment of congenital and acquired heart disease in children and young adults. Our team brings together diverse pediatric specialists to provide children with the very best care.
Our board-certified pediatric cardiologists use the most innovative techniques, including interventional catheterization. If surgery is required, the pediatric cardiovascular surgeons at Levine Children's Hospital offers the most advanced techniques for our patients. We are committed to providing the most compassionate state-of-the-art care available in North Carolina and the Southeast.
3-D CT scan to view complex heart disease: PA/TOF/MAPCA's
(11/2008) Doctors use the 3-D CT scan to reconstruct heart and lung anatomy prior to single stage surgical correction of an infant born with complex congenital heart disease consisting of an anomalous left coronary artery, Pulmonary Atresia/Tetralogy of Fallot and Multiple Aortopulmonary Collaterals (MAPCAs). Dr. Christopher Baird performed the surgery which consisted of unifocalization of MAPCAs, closure of VSD, and right ventricular to pulmonary artery conduit. The infant did very well and was extubated on post-operative day one.
Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy
(10/08) Dr. Larry Watts has a special interest in adult patients with Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy (HOCM). His significant clinical experience has led to excellent surgical results with these patients.
The images are representative of a middle aged adult patient with significant left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and mitral regurgitation from systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve. Currently these patients are receiving 3-D echocardiographic analysis by Dr. Geoffrey Rose for precise measurements and analysis.
LDOT Obstruction
After Resection
New technologies help cardiac services: 3-D echocardiography
Heart surgeons and cardiologists are now using 3-D cardiac echocardiography to help diagnose and repair heart valves in children. Here is the case of a 14-year-old patient with severe tricuspid valve heart disease. By using 3-D echocardiography, Levine Children's Hospital cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Christopher Baird, was able to correctly identify defects in the tricuspid valve of the patient's heart. This same technology enabled the surgeons to repair a cleft in the valve's anterior leaflet, to create a new chord and construct a new septal leaflet. View video
Heart of a Champion Day (5/2009) Heart of a Champion Day is a free sports-specific health screening and educational program for Charlotte-Mecklenburg student-athletes. The program is unique because of the heart screening, where all student-athletes receive an electrocardiogram (ECG), which traces the heart's electrical activity. They also receive an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound of the heart. A heart screening is necessary because traditional sports screenings may not reliably detect heart conditions that could affect an athlete's ability to participate in sports. The program is directed by Dr. Herbert Stern, FACC, Director of Division of Pediatric Cardiology at Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute, and Dr. David Price, Associate Director of Primary Care Sports Medicine at Carolinas Medical Center. Click here to visit the Heart of a Champion Website.
Charlotte Medical News: Innovative Techniques and Programs in Pediatric Cardiology at Levine Children's Hospital (2/2009) You might be interested in reading a recent Charlotte Medical News article entitled "Innovative Techniques and Programs in Pediatric Cardiology at Levine Children's Hospital." Please note that the article's statement regarding a future hybrid operating room requires correction. The related quote should have read as follows: "Carolinas Medical Center is exploring the possibility of creating a hybrid operating room that hopefully would be available during 2010. Three non-invasive specialists, Drs. Bensky, Herlong and Bengur, would utilize this space, along with other pediatric cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons. The facility would be used to treat VSD, atrial septal defects (ASD), pulmonary stenosis, and valve replacements, among other pediatric and adult neurological, vascular and cardiac problems."
Pediatric Cardiovascular Services: Hybrid closure of an ASD (11/2008) Sanger's pediatric and congenital cardiovascular team would like to share a recent case performed at Carolinas Medical Center earlier this month. The team was lead by congenital cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Christopher Baird, and included Dr. Herbert Stern(cardiac catheterization), Dr.Andrew Bensky(echocardiography) and Dr.Donald Riopel. The case involved a one year-old infant who had a large hole in between the upper chambers of her heart. This hole was complicating her pulmonary disease and needed to be closed. Traditional methods in infants require open heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass and an extended hospital stay. However, the physicians used an innovative approach to close this infant's ASD by combining surgical and cardiac catherization techniques. Through a 2 cm incision a portion of the heart was exposed allowing direct access to the right atrium where a catheter could be directly inserted and the hole could be closed with an Amplatzer device. The procedure was completed in less than 2 hours and the breathing tube was removed in the operating room. She was eating that afternoon and went home 24 hours later... link
Infant born at 400 grams has open heart surgery (11/2008) This case involved a 1700 gram infant with a VSD. This child was born at 400 g (1.1 lbs) which makes it one of the smallest ever to undergo successful heart surgery in the region. Her entire story is described by her parents on their blog kayleighannefreeman.blogspot.com
Nikaidoh (Aortic Root Translocation) operation performed (08/2008) Dr. Christopher Baird operated on patient referred from Knoxville, Tennessee for complex congenital heart disease. The patient had Transposition of the Great Arteries, ventricular septal defect and pulmonic stenosis. Because of the pulomonic stenosis the patient could not undergo a standard arterial switch operation but required an operation to alleviate the obstruction to the outflow tract. CMC doctors performed an operation that was the first of its kind in the region or state. A Nikaidoh operation was performed where the entire aortic root was translocated. The child now has great heart function with an excellent prognosis. A diagram of the operation is attached.
High risk pediatric heart transplants performed. (2008) Several children with end stage heart failure and high PRA's (Panel reactive antigins) have presented in the last year. Under the medical leadership ofDr. Richard Smith, intensive care leadership of Dr. Yulia Dominia and team of cardiovascular surgeons, Dr. Baird and Dr. Watts, we have had excellent outcomes.
Total Robotic Closure of Pediatric ASD Dr. Christopher Bairdand Dr. Larry Watts of the Levine Children's Hospital have become the first to report Total Robotic Closure of Pediatric ASD (Atrial Septal Defect) using the DaVinci Robot.
Radiofrequency Perforation of an Atretic Pulmonary Valve in a Preterm Infant Dr. Herbert Stern, Director of Sanger Pediatric Cardiology, recently performed radiofrequency perforation and balloon dilation of an atretic (closed) pulmonary valve in a preterm infant weighing 1500 grams. The successful procedure, which represents the smallest infant ever reported for this technique, allowed the infant a non-surgical cure of her defect. see the video... read the story...
Patient Stories:
For Mika Edwards, helping children is a gift. Edwards, a high school teacher, seems to always wear a smile on her face and have a thoughtful word of advice to give. Looking at her today, you would never know that she suffered a tragic loss just four years ago...read her story.
Remi Howard and her twin sister, Kennedy, were born eight weeks premature. Weighing just 3 pounds, 7 ounces, Remi was not only small, but she had a heart defect...read her story.
Gracie's parents knew before she was even born that Gracie had a congenital heart defect. Thanks to expert care both before and after her birth, Gracie is now her Daddy's Little Girl... read her story.
Kathryn K. Collins, MD, FACC, George F. Van Hare, MD, FACC, Naomi J. Kertesz, MD, FACC, Ian H. Law, MD, FACC, Yaniv Bar-Cohen, MD, FACC, Anne M. Dubin, MD, FACC, Susan P. Etheridge, MD, FACC, Charles I. Berul, MD, FACC, Jennifer N. Avari, MD, Volkan Tuzcu, MD, Narayanswami Sreeram, MD, Michael S. Schaffer, MD, Anne Fournier, MD, FACC, Shubhayan Sanatani, MD, Christopher S. Snyder, MD, Richard T. Smith, Jr, MD, FACC, Luis Arabia, MD, Robert Hamilton, MD, Terrence Chun, MD, Leonardo Liberman, MD, Bahram Kakavand, MD, FACC, Thomas Paul, MD, FACC, and Ronn E. Tanel, MD, Pediatric Nonpost-Operative Junctional Ectopic Tachycardia Medical Management and Interventional Therapies, J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2009 53: A21-A24
Christopher W. Baird and Larry Watts. Right Aortic Arch With Multiple Ligamentum Arising From Kommerell's Aortic Diverticulum. Accepted Ann Thor Surg 2008;85:663.
Christopher W. Baird and Larry Watts. Congenital Absence of Posteriomedical Papillary Muscle and Anterior Leaflet Chordae: Complex pediatric mitral valve repair using 3-D echocardiography, hypothermic fibrillation and neochords. Submitted Ann Thor Surg. Nov 2007.
Christopher W. Baird, Sotiris C. Stamou, Eric Skipper, Larry Watts. Total endoscopic repair of a pediatric atrial septal defect using da Vinci robot and hypothermic fibrillation. Inter Cardio Thor Surg. Nov 2007.
Total Robotic Closure of Pediatric ASD
