Dorothy and Larry Dallas Heart Center

About 1% of babies born in the United States each year have some type of congenital heart defect, with a quarter of those being severe enough to require surgery or other intervention in the first year of life. Thanks to state-of-the-art diagnostic testing and the latest treatment options, many children born with a heart defect have excellent odds of not only surviving but living a healthy life. About 70% of babies born with a critical heart defect today are expected to survive until adulthood, and 95% of babies born with a non-critical heart defect are expected to have a similar outcome.

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World-Class Care Close to Home

The Dorothy and Larry Dallas Heart Center at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital provides comprehensive, family-centered care for children with congenital heart defects. Our nationally ranked team can treat any type of heart problem, from heart murmurs to the most complex defects.

Our state-of-the-art Imaging Center offers the lowest possible dose of radiation in pediatric imaging, keeping our smallest patients safe. In addition to high-tech diagnostic imaging – like 3D echocardiography and cardiac MRI – SSM Health Cardinal Glennon is home to the region’s first pediatric hybrid cardiac catheterization suite, where some issues can be diagnosed and treated in a single procedure.

For children requiring more complex procedures, our award-winning surgical team has a longstanding track record of outcomes that meet or exceed national benchmarks. Thanks to the exceptional care our patients receive before, during and after surgery, our team has consistently reduced the length of time children remain in the hospital after surgery, allowing them to heal and recover in the comfort of their own homes.

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Fetal Heart Program

Improvements in ultrasound technology mean that many heart defects can be detected while a baby is still in the womb, sometimes as early as 18 weeks gestation. In collaboration with the St. Louis Fetal Care Institute at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon, our Fetal Heart Program brings together the expertise of our talented pediatric specialists in cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, neonatology, genetics and maternal-fetal medicine to provide coordinated care for families and their babies.

A vital component of the Fetal Heart Program is the creation of a birth plan. Mothers may deliver at the hospital of their choice, and if their baby needs special care after birth, arrangements are made for their transfer to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon.

For babies facing a complex delivery or who will need intervention immediately after birth, the team has the capability of performing C-section and EXIT deliveries at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon, only steps away from our operating rooms.

3D Center of Excellence at Cardinal Glennon - model of a 3D printed heart used for reference during a procedure

3D Printing Center of Excellence

The use of 3D printing has long been recognized as a valuable tool in health care, and thanks to donor support, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon houses its own 3D Printing Center of Excellence. By using advanced software to process images from MRIs and other scans, our team can create 3D-printed models of hearts and blood vessels to assist in planning complex surgeries or to simulate the placement of cardiac devices. In addition to their use in planning, our models can be sterilized and taken into the operating room, enabling surgeons to make real-time comparisons and measurements, maximizing accuracy and reducing the time the child spends in surgery.

The Next Generation

With the advancements in the fields of cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, many children born with heart defects are living well into adulthood. In fact, there are currently more adults than children living in the U.S. with congenital heart disease.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, The Dallas Heart Center offers two comprehensive programs for teens and adults.

To address the unique needs of teens and young adults, The THRIVE Pediatric-to-Adult Transition Program addresses the unique needs of teens and young adults as they transition to adult care, such as independence in making their own appointments, managing their symptoms, medication compliance and more. This multidisciplinary team begins seeing patients around age 14, with the goal of transitioning them to our Adult Congenital Heart Program by age 18.

The cardiologists who lead our fully accredited Adult Congenital Heart Program are board-certified in both pediatric and adult cardiology. They can treat adults of all ages with a variety of complex congenital heart conditions, including septal defects, single ventricle defects, pulmonary hypertension, genetic disorders and much more.

DID YOU KNOW?

SSM Health Cardinal Glennon is home to the only accredited Adult Congenital Heart Disease program in the St. Louis region!

How You Can Help

Every year, an estimated 40,000 babies are born in the U.S. with congenital heart disease, making it among the most common problems diagnosed in newborns.

To meet the ever-growing demand for our services and provide the best care, The Dallas Heart Center relies on the generous support of our donors and friends. Your gift will ensure the future success of The Dallas Heart Center so that we may continue to be there for children and families for years to come.

Continued expansion of our program offerings, thanks to the generosity of our donors and our partnership with Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

Staff education that enables our caregivers to stay current with best practices to provide the highest quality care.

In high-volume programs such as ours, medical devices, surgical equipment and software quickly become well-used or obsolete. Donor support enables The Dallas Heart Center to obtain the latest technology to provide the highest quality of care.