Children’s Mercy Heart Center Advances Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Through Innovation

At the Ward Family Heart Center, innovation in pediatric cardiac surgery is taking shape through a program focused on developing individualized solutions for children with complex heart conditions. The Innovation Program (TIP) brings together a dedicated group of subspecialists to review complex cases, assess emerging needs and develop protocols for innovative care. By combining clinical expertise, careful planning and multidisciplinary collaboration, the program expands what is possible for patients who do not have straightforward options.

“We are both developing new techniques and adapting established ways of doing cardiac surgery to new problems to meet the unique needs of children,” said Edo Bedzra, MD, MBA, who leads the program.

Using advanced preoperative imaging, virtual reality modeling, electrophysiologic and invasive hemodynamic testing, the team has helped guide individualized care plans of multiple patients. Notable successes include:

• The creation of novel pulmonary valves from autologous main pulmonary arterial tissue for repair of tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve syndrome.
• Combination of Nikaidoh aortic root translocation and Senning atrial switch procedures for repair of corrected transposition of the great arteries with ventricular septal defect and pulmonary stenosis.
• Ventricular recruitment and atrioventricular valve reconstruction in pursuit of biventricular physiology in patients with single ventricle anatomy.
• Thoracoscopic division of vascular rings in infants and children.

The management of these patients across the phases of care reflects the Heart Center’s commitment to advancing treatment approaches in forward-thinking and thoughtful ways.

Along with the program’s growth, the team is building a foundation for future research, including presentations at national specialty meetings and publications that highlight how Children’s Mercy helps expand treatment options for patients who do not have straightforward surgical paths. For providers caring for children with complex heart conditions, The Innovation Program offers a way to collaborate with Children’s Mercy specialists on challenging cases and explore individualized treatment options. For referrals or questions, email InnovateHC@cmh.edu.