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.

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Offering Same and Next-Day Appointments
And
Second Opinion Consultations

With Pediatric Cardiologists in locations throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Martin counties.
*Subject to insurance approval and authorization.
Request an Appointment

Or call 305-662-8301 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.

Our pediatric heart programs and clinics offer the most innovative, least invasive approaches in pediatric cardiology, interventional 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 team.

Highlights of the Heart Institute:

Cardiovascular Surgery

First in Florida to perform a Partial Heart Transplant and leading the first CHSS-based national registry in pediatric cardiac surgery. This registry is focused on understanding partial heart transplants nationwide.
One of few in the nation to utilize the Ozaki method to repair the aortic valve in children
One of only a few centers nationwide and the only pediatric hospital in Florida offering Axillary (armpit) open-heart surgery. This approach delivers the same heart repair with less pain, faster recovery, and minimal visible scarring.
First staged heart septation in Florida
First in Florida and one of few in the world to offer robotic open-heart surgery, avoiding scarring on the chest
One of few in the world to offer Kawashima procedures with preparation for transcatheter Fontan, avoiding an open-heart surgery
Nicklaus Children’s is among the few centers in the nation offering the REV operation, in which the cardiac surgical team corrects transposition of the great arteries with ventricular septal defect and pulmonary stenosis by rerouting blood flow and reconstructing the heart’s anatomy.

Interventional Cardiology

First in Florida to offer a traveling bedside PDA closure program
First in Florida to use Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality for procedural planning and guidance for congenital heart disease (CHD) patients - 4th hospital in the U.S. to use in congenital cardiac interventions
First in Florida to use percutaneous ECMO for a patient with congenital heart disease– 3rd in the U.S.
The third program in the world and first in Florida to successfully redirect Fontan circulation percutaneously
First in Florida to use pulmonary flow restrictors (PFR) in PDA stents

A Team Approach to Care Makes a Difference

Nicklaus Children’s Heart Institute is committed to driving excellence in patient care, pioneering research, and community outreach. Their leadership marks an exciting new chapter for the region’s children as we continue to lead the way in transforming cardiovascular care.

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

Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgeons
Pediatric Cardiologists
Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiologists
Cardiac Intensivists
Advanced Practice Providers
Non-Invasive Cardiac Imaging Physicians
Electrophysiologists

Comprehensive Programs and Services

Treatments and Procedures

Biventricular Repair
Cone Repair
En Bloc Rotation
MAPCA Unifocalization
Multimodality Fusion Imaging
Pulmonary Flow Restrictors (PFRs)
Pulmonary Valve Repair with Ozaki
Rehabilitation Procedure
Transcatheter Sinus Venosus ASD Closure
Ventricular Septation

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.

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

100%

of public schools in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties are trained by Nicklaus Children’s clinicians to respond to sudden cardiac arrest

Stories to Inspire

When Ashley attended her 14-week pregnancy ultrasound, she expected to see her growing baby but was met with the news that her daughter, Caitlin, would be born with Single Ventricle Heart Defect. Fearful of what would come next, Ashley's obstetrician referred her to Nicklaus Children's Hospital's Heart Institute to develop a treatment plan for Caitlin's arrival.