Clinical Programs
Congenital heart disease affects approximately one out of every one hundred
newborns. The Pediatric Cardiology Division is responsible for the
diagnosis of congenital heart defects, performing diagnostic procedures
such as echocardiograms, CT scans and cardiac catheterizations, and
for the ongoing management of the sequelae of heart disease in infants,
children and adolescents. The division is actively involved in research
aimed at preventing both congenital and acquired heart disease in children.
The division has developed a Fetal Cardiac Diagnostic Center, bringing
together recent advances in molecular genetic diagnosis with advances
in prenatal imaging of the heart. Directed by Dr. David Rosenthal,
this center facilitates collaboration between obstetricians, geneticists
and cardiologists. Newly developed techniques in interventional cardiac
catheterization allow corrections of many forms of congenital heart
disease without surgery. Dr. Julie Vincent directs the program which
performs procedures such as balloon angioplasties, catheter closure
of congential heart defects, stenting of blocked arteries and veins.
She is also developing the use of intravascular ultrasound to diagnose
vessel wall abnormalities in children. To improve our ability to diagnose
cardiac defects, Dr. Vincent and Dr. Paul Pitlick are collaborating
with Stanford Engineers to develop 3-D images of the heart using the
Electron Beam CT scanner.
The Division has established a center for the diagnosis and treatment
of heart rhythm abnormalities in children, under the direction of Dr.
Ann Dubin. Cardiac arrhythmias can now be diagnosed and treated during
fetal life. In older children and adolescents, radiofrequency catheter
ablation is being utilized to remove arrhythmogenic foci and avoid the
need for chronic medication.
The Cardiac Exercise Lab, directed by Dr. Clifford Chin, provides community
physicians with a resource for establishing sports participation guidelines
for children with heart, lung or other chronic diseases. A Program in
Preventive Pediatric Cardiology is being developed for treatment of children
with hypercholesterolemia and hypertension and for studying issues such
as the effect of second-hand smoke on the risk of cardiovascular disease
in children.
The division continues to be a world leader in pediatric cardiac transplantation.
Directed by Dr. Daniel Bernstein, ongoing studies include the effects
of transplantation on growth and development, long-term sequelae of immunosuppression,
and the development of new techniques for the non-invasive monitoring
of rejection.
Basic Science Programs
Basic science, pursued by Drs. Bernstein and Kavin Desai, is focused
on the mechanisms underlying congenital heart lesions and for the abnormalities
of cardiac function (cardiomyopathies). These investigations utilize
techniques of experimental murine embryology to delete specific genes
of interest. The Division has pioneered the use of microphysiologic
techniques to determine the effect on cardiac function of these gene
knock-outs.
Contact
750 Welch Road, Suite 305
Palo Alto, CA 94304-5731
Phone: (650) 723-7913
Fax: (650) 725-8343
