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The MUSC Children’s Hospital has two pediatric cardiac catheterization laboratories staffed by three dedicated pediatric interventional cardiologists. We perform approximately 600 cardiac catheterizations each year.  Our interventional cardiologists consistently use leading edge techniques and equipment to prevent or postpone high risk complex cardiac surgery.  These procedures do not require a surgical incision and the patient is often able to go home the same day or the following day. Interventional catheterization procedures can be used to repair the following defects:

• Atrial septal defects (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO)
• Some ventricular septal defects (VSD)
• Patent ductus arterosus (PDA)
• Coronary artery fistulas
• Mechanical perivalvar leaks

We have extensive experience with balloon valvuloplasty for pulmonary and aortic valve stenosis. We commonly

intervene with high-pressure balloon angioplasty, cutting balloon angioplasty and balloon expandable stenting to address blood vessel narrowings including pulmonary artery stenoses, aortic coarctation, and systemic venous stenoses.

Hybrid interventions wherein surgical and transcatheter techniques are combined in selected patients.

Our outcomes for catheter-based therapy are among the best in the country.

The MUSC Children’s Hospital has been a leader in the field of interventional pediatric cardiology since the early 1990’s. We are currently co-investigators in several national studies including the MAGIC national intervention database, the Congenital Cardiac Interventional Symposium, and the Angiomax Food and Drug Administration (FDA) phase 1 clinical trial. The Children’s Heart Center recently became the first congenital heart disease program in the US to perform device closure of multiple ventricular septal defects with real-time 3-dimensional echocardiographic guidance.

Interventional Cardiologists
 Dr. G. Hamilton Baker
 Dr. Varsha Bandisode
 Dr. Jeremy M. Ringewald