Treating Congenital Heart Defects
If your child has a complex heart defect, Seattle Children's team has the medical and surgical expertise your child may need to not only survive, but thrive—from prenatal diagnosis through treatment and lifelong follow-up care.
Read on to learn why U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks Seattle Children's Heart Center as one of the nation's top pediatric cardiology and heart surgery centers.
"It was a scary experience that nobody wants to go through, but I want to thank everyone at the hospital for being there for us and answering every question that we had.
Olivia is doing so well now. She is perfect."
— Carolina Castañeda
Mother of Olivia, who was born with a ventricular septal defect and coarctation of the aorta
"We've always gotten exceptional care at Seattle Children's.
They always want to know what we think and how we feel, and that's so important when it comes to finding the best care for your child."
— Candice Andrews
Mother of Marcus, a young adult who was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome
Experience matters.
At Seattle Children's Heart Center, our pediatric cardiac surgeons and interventional cardiologists have more advanced training and experience operating and performing procedures on babies, children and teens with a wide range of heart conditions than those at any other children's hospital in the Pacific Northwest. These include conditions like:
Single ventricle defects
- Double-inlet left ventricle
- Severe Ebstein's anomaly
- Heterotaxy
- Hypoplastic left heart syndrome
- Pulmonary atresia (intact ventricular septum)
- Tricuspid atresia
- Mitral atresia
- Unbalanced atrioventricular septal defects
Septal defect (hole in the heart)
- Atrial septal defect (ASD)
- Ventricular septal defect (VSD)
- Atrioventricular septal defect
Valve defects
- Mitral valve abnormalities
- Pulmonary atresia
- Tetralogy of Fallot
- Pulmonary stenosis
- Aortic valve disease
Other types of defects
- Coarctation of the aorta
- Double outlet right ventricle
- Interrupted aortic arch
- Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
- Congenital mitral valve anomalies
- Total anomalous pulmonary venous return
- Transposition of the great arteries
- Truncus arteriosus
- Vascular rings
"From the very beginning, before your baby is even born, we take a multidisciplinary approach.
You'll meet the entire team all at once, including your nurse navigator, maternal-fetal medicine specialist, surgeon, cardiologist, social worker and others, so you can get all your questions answered about every phase of the process.
This team will follow you all the way through, working together to give your child and family the best outcome they can."
— Dr. Bhawna Arya, director, Fetal Cardiology
"Single-ventricle anomalies are among the most complex congenital heart defects.
Our team works to support your child's overall health between the first and second surgeries, which can be a fragile time requiring close medical attention.
Our weekly interstage clinic brings together experts in cardiology, nutrition, social work, feeding therapy and neurodevelopment to support your child and family."
— Dr. Matt Files, director, Single Ventricle Program
Seattle Children's Heart Center provides personalized repair plans using the most advanced imaging techniques, such as 3-D imaging, offered by any children's hospital in the Pacific Northwest.
Care for your whole family
Dealing with heart disease can be scary and stressful.
Seattle Children's has many resources, from financial to spiritual, to support your child and your family and make the journey as smooth as possible.
With you from the beginning
If you are pregnant, learning more about your baby's heart problems gives you more time to make decisions and plan care.
The cardiologists in our Prenatal Diagnosis and Treatment Program can make fast, accurate diagnoses of congenital heart defects as early as 14 weeks' gestation.
A seamless transition
Seattle Children's works with the University of Washington to provide an Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program to protect your child's long-term health as they grow and transition to adulthood.
Many children and families travel to Seattle Children's for heart surgery.
We help you coordinate travel and housing so you can stay focused on your child.
We have lots of experience helping families make the transition back home safely.
Find your hope. Call today.
Get started by calling the location closest to you: