Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery

The Riley Cardiovascular and Cardiothoracic Surgery Program at IU Health has the expertise, experience and resources to meet these highly-specialized needs for even the most vulnerable patients.

Our board certified surgeons treat and manage the entire spectrum of heart defects—from the most common to the most rare and complex. They are responsible for developing many novel techniques that improve survival rates and quality of life for patients with heart defects that were once untreatable.

As one of the nation’s busiest pediatric heart centers, Riley at IU Health is equipped with the knowledge, personnel and technology necessary to care for adults, children and infants with acquired or congenital heart disease.

These assets keep us among the top 15 of high-volume heart programs in the nation for effective outcomes, drawing patients from Indiana, the United States and many parts of the world.

Why Riley Children's Health?

Whether we meet through diagnosis of your child’s heart defect at birth, or through a pediatrician, cardiologist or primary care referral, we are ready to serve your family’s healthcare needs for as long as you need us.

Heart defects come in so many shapes and sizes that no two patients are exactly the same. Your loved one’s condition may be very simple or it may require complex care performed in stages. Either way, we help parents and caregivers understand each step in a customized care plan, and we embrace each family as a valued part of the healthcare team.

Families affected by congenital heart disease linked to their genetic traits can also seek guidance from our Cardiovascular Genetic Counseling Program to determine whether future children or other family members may be at risk for the same disorder.

Multidisciplinary Care

Riley at IU Health offers a fully-integrated program to care for children and adults with congenital heart disease. Our people and resources are organized and ready to provide a rare level of coordinated care at one of the nation’s top destinations for acute care.

Your child’s cardiac healthcare team has world-class specialists trained in cardiovascular and cardiothoracic surgery, cardiac anesthesiologists, imaging technicians, congenital cardiologists, cardiovascular intensive care specialists and many other who specialize in working with heart defects and thoracic conditions.

This includes a team of dedicated cardiovascular nurses that place Riley at IU Health among the top 5 percent of hospitals in the United States for nursing quality, safety and patient satisfaction as conferred by Magnet status.

As part of a comprehensive pediatric healthcare system for advanced care, our team collaborates with other highly skilled specialists to deliver the right care at the right time for your child or loved one. Riley at IU Health offers a wide range of support services designed to help families cope with the emotional, physical and financial strains of a healthcare challenge.

Innovative Treatments

Riley at IU Health is a place where innovative treatments often begin. We are nationally known as a high-volume center for the Ross procedure, a surgery that uses a patient’s pulmonary valve to replace the aortic valve. Our specialists are recognized nationally and internationally as respected resources for procedures that repair undersized pulmonary arteries, remove cardiac tumors and rebuild complex heart anatomies. Ours was also one of the first pediatric heart programs in the nation to give a child a Berlin heart, now used worldwide to save children affected by heart conditions.

We provide every kind of life support, transport and assist device that could be needed for acute pediatric care. This includes ECMO technology (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), which oxygenates the blood after surgery. We also have a full complement of ventricular assist devices to support the function of a failing heart, including the total artificial heart. With our record of outstanding survival rates, the Riley Heart Center is one of 30+ heart programs in the United States certified to perform pediatric heart transplants.

Recognized Leaders Who Are Committed to Excellence

Learning to repair a faulty heart requires a level of education that surpasses what is required of most surgeons. Our heart surgeons have an extra tier of training and practice in congenital heart defects and thoracic disease. These credentials set them apart as a rare breed of surgeons who can offer a degree of expertise found only in the most advanced pediatric hospitals.

Their pursuit of excellence also keeps them invested in research to find new ways of resolving complex congenital heart defects and diseases of the lung, blood vessels and heart. They share their knowledge globally through lectures and humanitarian work that promotes children’s heart health. In parts of the world where there is little access to advanced healthcare, our surgeons are there to give hands-on training for physicians who treat heart defects.

Lifelong Care for Heart Defects

A growing number of children are living productive lives long after their congenital heart defects are repaired. Our Adults With Congenital Heart Disease Progam can manage your child’s condition into adulthood to promote optimal health through every stage of life.

Top Ranked Cardiac Care

Our pediatric cardiovascular program is ranked 5th in the nation by U.S.News & World Report. We are also one of the highest volume pediatric cardiovascular centers in the country, and research shows higher volumes translates to better outcomes. Our overall survival rate for cardiovascular surgery is significantly better than the national average. Our team is the only group performing pediatric heart transplantation in Indiana and the pediatric cardiac critical care team is the only one of its kind in the state.