Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery
Section of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery
Bringing together surgical expertise and specialized teams to treat the most complex pediatric heart conditions.
The Section of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery within the U-M Medical School Department of Cardiac Surgery is one of the busiest congenital heart programs in the nation and the largest in the state of Michigan. Following our relocation to the new C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in 2011, our surgical faculty and staff are positioned on the same floor as our colleagues from Pediatric Cardiology, fostering enhanced collaboration in teaching, research and patient care. When your child needs cardiac surgery, you will find a multidisciplinary team of experts with extensive experience treating infants and children with serious, complex, or rare heart conditions. Together, we form the U-M Congenital Heart Center, one of the premier centers in the country, consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the #1 program in Michigan for congenital heart care.
Our Clinical Programs
The Congenital Heart Center provides world-class care for patients of all ages with congenital and acquired heart disease. Our surgical team performs approximately 900 operations annually, with nearly 650 being open heart procedures. Since our program began, we have cared for more than 20,000 patients, representing one of the largest patient groups in the United States. This has enabled us to develop a highly experienced team of caregivers including surgeons, nurses and technical staff. As a result, physicians refer their patients to us from across the country and around the world.
Our program has become a destination medical center for families seeking the best treatment for complex and serious heart disease. Patients from all 50 states and 60 countries have sought treatment here, with approximately 25% of our patients coming from outside Michigan. Our fetal heart program ranks in the top five worldwide by volume and our surgeons are leaders in complex procedures including single ventricle heart defect repairs and neonatal arterial switch operations. For patients with congenital heart conditions, we provide seamless transition from pediatric to adult congenital heart disease care. The combination of focused expertise and strong cooperation among specialties is our hallmark. Surgeons, cardiologists and other medical professionals work together to diagnose your child and develop treatment plans tailored to their individual needs.
We offer a comprehensive range of surgical procedures for children with congenital heart conditions:
- Arterial Switch Operation
- Closure of Atrial and Ventricular Septal Defects
- Coarctation Repair
- Double Switch Operation
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
- Heart Transplantation
- Norwood, Hemi-Fontan and Fontan Procedures
- Repair of Atrioventricular Septal Defect
- Ross Procedure
- Tetralogy of Fallot Repair
- Ventricular Assist Devices
For more information on conditions and treatments, please visit C.S. Mott Children's Hospital
Our Approach
Our multidisciplinary program is supported by state-of-the-art facilities and a highly skilled team of experts dedicated to advancing patient care. We operate a specialized 23-bed Pediatric Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit for congenital heart disease, achieving mortality rates for complex cases that are half the national average. The ICU and step-down facilities work together to provide a seamless continuum of care that maintains the highest standards of quality and safety at every stage of treatment. Our medical and surgical teams evaluate complex cases from around the world, offering personalized consultation and tailored recommendations for even the most challenging conditions.
We embrace a team-based model that brings together surgeons, nurses, technical staff, and other healthcare professionals to meet the complete needs of each patient. This collaborative structure allows us to deliver comprehensive care that integrates both immediate surgical interventions and long-term care management. Supported by the extensive resources of the University of Michigan Health system, we guide each child and family from diagnosis through recovery, providing expert treatment and compassionate care every step of the way.
Section Leadership
Richard G Ohye
Professor of Cardiac Surgery
Section Head Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery
Service Chief, Cardiac Surgery
Medical School
Gorav Ailawadi
Chair, Department of Cardiac Surgery
Co-Director, Frankel Cardiovascular Center
Professor of Cardiac Surgery, Medical School
Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School and College of Engineering
Section Faculty
Timothy Lancaster
Medical School
Jennifer Romano
Professor of Cardiac Surgery
Professor of Pediatrics and Medical Director
Surgical PICU
Medical School
Vikram Sood
Medical School
Karen Uzark
Clinical Professor of Pediatrics
Medical School
