Heart Transplant Program, Delaware Valley
- About Us
- Our Care
Excellent Outcomes, More Tomorrows
Children with a heart transplant can, and do, grow up, go to school and enjoy active lives. Especially when they have team-based, expert care and support before, during and after transplant surgery.
Surgeons at the Nemours Children鈥檚 Cardiac Center, Delaware Valley performed the very first pediatric heart transplant in Delaware in 2005. Under the leadership of world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon Christian Pizarro, MD, we鈥檝e built a recognized, integrated heart transplant program focused on the needs of your child and family.
We guide you through the process. And we prepare you physically and emotionally for the best possible outcomes. Our cardiothoracic surgery team works closely with specialists in pediatric heart failure, cardiac anesthesiology, cardiac critical care, cardiac psychology, pharmacists, nurses and many others. We鈥檙e here as your child grows, with advanced care and programs that begin before birth up to age 40.
Our team is your source for support, hope and inspiration. We work to give your child the best chance to live, and to run, play, dance and soar to their highest ability.听
鈥淎 Second Chance at Life鈥
Eric came to us at 3 months old with an enlarged heart. See how he鈥檚 dancing and growing strong after his heart transplant.听
"We have been surrounded by miracles, blessings, compassion and support."
鈥淲hen I saw him a few hours later, he was pink, not gray as he had been. His hands were warm. It was like life had been breathed into him.鈥
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Heart Transplant Expertise You Can Trust
Our surgeons are internationally recognized for performing the most complex surgeries on the tiniest hearts. We know when it鈥檚 time for a heart transplant and begin the process quickly.
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We offer the full range of heart care, from advanced mechanical circulatory support to cardiac rehabilitation and neurodevelopmental support, and more.
We give children with highly complex conditions a chance to have a new heart, helping kids that other programs may not.听
Our surgical outcomes, or success rates, for the most advanced surgeries are better than national averages.
Our team is researching and leading clinical trials to find ways to prevent, detect and treat heart failure and make surgery safer for kids.听
Families and providers around the world come to us for second opinions on heart transplant surgery.
Meet the Team
The Nemours heart transplant team is experienced and focused on your child's healthiest future. Meet them now.听
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Carissa M. Baker-Smith, MD, MPH
Cardiology Director, Preventive Cardiology Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatric Cardiology at Thomas Jefferson UniversityPrimary Office
Wilmington, DE -
Claude Anthony Beaty Jr., MD
Cardiothoracic Surgery Site Director, Temple Thoracic Residency Program, Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson UniversityPrimary Office
Wilmington, DE -
Christopher D. Derby, MD
Cardiothoracic Surgery Surgical Director Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and Mechanical Circulatory SupportPrimary Office
Wilmington, DE -
Christian Pizarro, MD
Cardiothoracic Surgery Chair, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine; Director, Cardiac Center; Chief, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery; Director, Heart Transplantation Program Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson UniversityPrimary Office
Wilmington, DE -
Aryaz Sheybani, MD
Cardiology Medical Director, Heart Transplant ProgramPrimary Office
Wilmington, DE
Leading Heart Care at a Leading Children鈥檚 Hospital
Our heart center in Delaware Valley provides highly advanced, integrated, team-based heart care just for kids and young adults with congenital heart defects. We offer many focused programs, leading-edge research and amazing outcomes.听
Families have access to robust support services onsite, like school programs, creative therapies, pet therapy and pastoral care. We also have a Ronald McDonald House nearby, so your family can stay together.听
Take a Virtual Tour
罢丑别听Nemours Children鈥檚 Hospital, Delaware听has all the conveniences you need, with spacious rooms, areas for play and respite, beautiful gardens and more.听Take a virtual tour now.
Programs & Services
Children with end-stage heart failure may need a transplant to live. We begin the process as soon as possible.听
We offer the full range of medical and surgical care leading up to heart transplant including:
Heart Transplant Evaluations
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We explain everything and give you the information and tools you need to make the best decisions for your family. We walk your family through the process, performing all the needed medical, psychological and social assessments to help ensure success. We also offer second opinions for providers and families to help them decide the best path forward.
Getting on the Heart Transplant List
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We鈥檙e part of , an organization that manages the nation鈥檚 organ transplant system for the federal government. We submit your child鈥檚 assessment and they match an organ when available.
Heart Failure Management听
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Whether your child is home, at the hospital or in critical care, our heart failure team helps keep your child healthy and strong while waiting for transplant. We manage their heart care with medicines, cardiac rehabilitation, nutritional counseling, cardiac psychology support, interventional heart procedures, electrophysiology services, cardiothoracic surgery and more.听
As a Cardiomyopathy Foundation Accredited Center of Care, we offer the highest quality of care available.
Mechanical Circulatory Support
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For hearts that need help to work, our experts use the latest mechanical circulatory support devices, like extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and ventricular assist devices (VADs) as a bridge to transplant. We customize services to your child鈥檚 specific needs.
Nemours is recognized for excellence in pediatric heart surgery. Our survival rates are among the best in the nation.听
We鈥檙e pioneers and leaders in the field. We were the first in state of Delaware to give a child a new heart, and we develop new surgical methods for kids with rare and complex heart conditions.听
Our transplant surgery care includes:
- Elite experts in cardiothoracic surgery, cardiac anesthesiology, cardiac critical care, cardiology, inpatient heart care, nursing and many others who work as one team听
- Advanced heart imaging, like 3D echocardiography and heart MRI to help plan a more precise, accurate surgery
- Minimally invasive methods, like those that need fewer, smaller cuts on the outside of the skin to help with recovery
- ABO-incompatible heart transplants, or using a heart from a donor that doesn鈥檛 match your child鈥檚 blood type听
- Advanced life support and the latest equipment to monitor your child closely throughout transplant surgery
- Experience in multi-organ transplants in children, including heart-lung, heart-kidney, heart-liver and others
- Heart transplants for all ages, from infants to adults up to age 40
- Re-transplant surgery, as donor hearts last about 25 years听 听
Learn More from Nemours KidsHealth庐
If your child needs a heart transplant, you have many questions. , the process and what to expect from the experts at Nemours KidsHealth.
Immediately after transplant, our cardiac critical care team, that鈥檚 been part of your child鈥檚 care from the start, closely monitors your child鈥檚 recovery in our fully equipped critical care unit.
We partner with your child鈥檚 surgeons, cardiologists and cardiac anesthesiologists, and work closely with pharmacists with advanced experience in pediatric heart transplantation. We use the latest medicines to prevent organ rejection and reduce the risk for complications.听
Our cardiac Enhanced Recovery After Surgery program ensures we鈥檙e doing everything we can before, during and after surgery to make it a little easier on you and your child.听
And our inpatient heart care team provides extensive, hands-on training on how to care for your child at home after transplant.听
At Nemours, heart care doesn鈥檛 end after transplant. Our heart center offers integrated programs and care throughout your child鈥檚 life, including:
- Cardiac rehabilitation therapies, which includes inpatient and outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy and other support to help your child grow stronger
- Cardiac neurodevelopmental support to help protect behavioral, emotional and intellectual health so your child can develop to their highest ability
- Nutritional support, using healthy foods that aid in recovery
- Complete condition management to help detect problems and prevent complications that can happen after transplant
- Quick, convenient access to more than 30 pediatric specialties, like kidney specialists, hematologists and others, on-site and close to home
- Support services that begin on your very first visit, like social work, Child Life, creative therapy, pet therapy, pastoral care, family lodging at the nearby Ronald McDonald House and more
Conditions & Treatments
We see many conditions 鈥 far too many to list here. The conditions we treat vary depending on the location and providers selected. Don鈥檛 see a condition listed? Call us.
Related Specialties
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Empowering You to Care for Your Child at Home
The Nemours inpatient heart care team helps you prepare for and manage your child鈥檚 care at home. We make sure you have everything you need, including training on devices, equipment and medicines before you leave.
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Convenient Follow-Up Appointments by Video
We offer follow-up appointments through scheduled, live video visits. You can avoid waiting rooms and save travel time. Ask your doctor if this is an option for your family.