The Heart Institute: Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery

Giving Young Hearts Another Chance to Beat

The Heart Institute – a world leader in pediatric cardiology and cardiovascular surgery and the care of children with congenital heart disorders – serves as a beacon to families confronting the reality of a child or newborn with a heart defect.

newborn baby peacefully sleeping in incubator after heart surgery. click to watch video.
newborn baby peacefully sleeping in incubator after heart surgery. click to watch video.

Support our work to confront the reality of a child or newborn with a heart defect with the best team and most innovative techniques.
foundation logo Donate

Section Menu


Support our work to confront the reality of a child or newborn with a heart defect with the best team and most innovative techniques.
foundation logo Donate

Same Day Appointments in Weston

Reserve your same-day* appointment with our cardiologist, Dr. Nancy Dobrolet, at the Nicklaus Children’s Dan Marino Outpatient Center in Weston.
*Subject to insurance approval and authorization.
Request an Appointment

Or call 954-217-6300 for more information.
 

Congenital heart disorders occur in approximately eight out of every 1,000 newborns. These disorders can range from mild to severe, with two to three babies in 1,000 displaying signs of a heart defect requiring medical intervention.

The Heart Institute – a world leader in pediatric cardiology and cardiovascular surgery and the care of children with congenital heart disorders – serves as a beacon to families confronting the reality of a child or newborn with a heart defect.

Our children's heart centers and clinics offers the most innovative, least invasive approaches in pediatric cardiology and cardiovascular surgery to the treatment of congenital heart disease, including many first-in-the-world procedures that were pioneered right here by the Heart Institute’s own internationally renowned pediatric cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons.
 

A Team Approach to Care Makes a Difference

As the largest and most experienced cardiac team in South Florida, The Heart Institute is comprised of: 

  • 2 Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgeons
  • 18 Pediatric Cardiologists
  • 3 Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiologists
  • 5 Cardiac Intensivists
  • 14 Advanced Practice Providers
  • 5 Non-Invasive Cardiac Imaging Physicians
  • 3 Electrophysiologists

Comprehensive Programs and Services

Treatments and Procedures

Conditions We Treat

Recognition and Outcomes Tell the Story

Our pediatric cardiology and cardiovascular surgery services are ranked among the nation’s best for pediatric cardiology and heart surgery by U.S.News & World Report.

What’s more, The Heart Institute has cardiovascular surgery outcomes that are among the very best in the nation, according to a U.S.News & World Report assessment conducted as part of the most recent ranking.
Nicklaus Children's Heart Institute is a qualified participant in Aetna’s Institutes of Excellence™  network.
 

A Distinguished History of Saving Little Hearts

During the 1960s, Nicklaus Children's Hospital became the first facility in Florida to perform pediatric open-heart surgery. Over the years, the hospital has continued to build on this tradition of leadership and excellence in children's cardiology.

In 1995, Nicklaus Children's Hospital, recruited top cardiac physicians and surgeons in pediatric cardiology to oversee new services that included Florida’s first dedicated Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, a state-of-the-art Interventional Cardiac Catheterization Program, and, later, a Clinical Research Program and Electrophysiology Program.

1st

In 1960, we became the first facility in Florida to perform pediatric open-heart surgery

11,000+

Since 1995, the program has performed nearly 8,700 cardiac surgeries, including open-heart procedures

98%

Survival rate for all congenital heart surgeries since 2018
featured patient photo.
featured patient photo.

Stories to Inspire

Alia is one of the smallest babies to undergo open-heart surgery and one of the tiniest in the world to survive and thrive after her complex operation. Baby Alia faced several life-threatening problems when she was born three months early, creating unique new challenges even for veteran congenital heart surgeon, Dr. Redmond Burke.
More Stories

Service Locations

Awards & Associations